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      Arsenal transfer blow with Juventus set to open Houssem Aouar talks with Lyon over summer switch for midfielder

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      ARSENAL have received a transfer blow with Juventus reportedly set to open talks with Lyon about Houssem Aouar.
      The Gunners have been heavily linked with the midfielder but look set to be pipped by the Italian giants who want him to move in the summer.

      Juventus are set to open talks with Lyon about a summer move for Arsenal target Houssem AouarCredit: AFP or licensors

      Mikel Arteta was said to be keen on bringing the Frenchman in this month.
      He also caught the eye of Paris Saint-Germain and was valued around £45million.
      Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas was adamant Aouar would not be sold in January.
      And that suits Juve who want to agree a deal to bring him to Turin in the summer, according to Sky Italia.

      The Old Lady reportedly tried to sign the 22-year-old last summer and remain keen.
      And they are said to have held provisional talks with the player’s agent before an official approach is made.
      Arsenal also tried to sign the French international last summer.
      The North Londoners negotiated long and hard to try to get a discounted deal for the man who has three goals and three assists from 16 games this season.

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      But eventually they were forced to trigger Thomas Partey’s £45m release fee with Lyon not willing to let their star man go cheaply.
      And in November, Lyon general manager Vincent Ponsont revealed THREE clubs were chasing Aouar in the summer.
      He claimed Arsenal offered too little, even though they were willing to give them a ‘discount’ due to the financial repercussions of coronavirus.
      Ponsont told L’Equipe: “We had three big clubs for him. The first one was more for next season.
      “The second one was related to the departure of a player, and with this club, we could have come to an agreement.
      “The third club was Arsenal, who offered below the market value.
      “We discussed it with the player’s entourage, and together we took the decision to say no.
      “The priority for us was clearly to keep the team competitive.”
      ⚽ Read our Arsenal live blog for the latest news from The Emirates

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      PSG slammed over Lionel Messi transfer pursuit as Barcelona presidential candidate threatens to go to Fifa

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      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN’s pursuit of Lionel Messi has been blasted as ‘disrespectful’ by Barcelona presidential hopeful Joan Laporta.
      The Ligue 1 club have been linked with a move for the Argentine when his contract expires in June.

      Lionel Messi is yet to sign a new contract at the Nou CampCredit: EPA

      Joan Laporta has slammed Paris Saint-Germain’s chase of Barcelona’s talismanCredit: EPA

      Manchester City and Inter Miami are also interested following Messi’s attempt to terminate his Barcelona deal last summer.
      But PSG sporting director Leonardo’s recent public comments on chasing the 33-year-old angered Laporta, who is competing to become Barcelona president in March’s elections.
      The Catalan threatened to take the matter to Fifa and criticised Les Parisiens’ links to the Qatari government.
      He told reporters: “[Barcelona] must be capable of making a good proposal that Messi is willing to accept, that depends on the club.

      “I would understand any answer [from Messi], but he needs to know what the proposal is. That requires urgency.
      “It is getting more difficult all the time to make a convincing proposal.
      “He’s free to negotiate with other clubs now and Barcelona are still without a president.
      “It is disrespectful to Barcelona that clubs like PSG publicly say they are going to sign Messi.

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      “This coming from a club-state that have bypassed the rules. We cannot allow clubs and states the luxury of destabilising another club.
      “In that sense, we will have to speak with Uefa and Fifa to avoid such actions.
      “PSG must abstain from [talking about Messi]. It is out of place for another club to speak about him.
      “And, at the moment, there is no president in place to respond to this lack of respect.”
      Messi’s representatives, in a statement to Sport, were this week forced to deny claims that the striker was learning French in anticipation of moving to Paris.
      Canal+ had reported on the supposed language lessons as a sign that he was ready to snub the Blaugrana and Manchester City.

      We are seated at the large table of those clubs who are following the Messi matter closely.
      LeonardoPSG Sporting Director

      PSG are doing little to hide their desire for Messi, with Argentina team-mate Leandro Paredes talking up the chances of a bid.
      He told Corriere dello Sport: “It’s up to Leo to come to the club, because PSG are trying to convince him. I hope it happens.”
      Earlier this month, Leonardo had told France Football: “Great players like Messi will always be on PSG’s list.
      “But this is of course not the time to talk about it, or to dream about it.

      “But we are seated at the large table of those clubs who are following the matter closely.
      “In fact, no, we are not yet seated, but our chair is reserved just in case. Four months in football is an eternity, especially in this period.”
      The recent arrival of Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino at PSG has only ramped up the expectancy the French outfit will push hard to recruit Messi in the summer.
      Messi was in action on Wednesday night, scoring on his return from a two-game ban to help his team beat Rayo Vallecano in the Copa del Rey.

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      Man Utd drop out of Deloitte Money League top three for first time since 2013 as 10 richest clubs are revealed

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      EUROPE’S biggest clubs are facing a whopping £2BILLION price for the Covid-19 pandemic.
      The analysis by football finance experts Deloitte lays bare the impact of the crisis on even the game’s elite giants.

      And one significant victim was Manchester United, who dropped out of the top three of Deloitte’s ‘money league’ for the first time since 2013.
      According to the Deloitte number crunchers, the immediate consequence of the virus outbreak was to knock £1.05bn off income for the leading 20 European clubs last year.
      But Deloitte expects 2021 will see a similar impact on TV revenues and with crowds not expected back in grounds until next season at the earliest – and even then likely to be limited – anticipates the total cost will exceed £2bn.
      Analyst Dan Jones, partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, said: “There is no doubt that this is one of the most testing times the football industry has ever had to endure.

      “While no football club has been immune to the challenges of Covid-19, and other clubs have suffered more in relative terms, those in the Money League have borne the greatest financial impact in absolute value terms.
      “In this year’s edition, the top 20 clubs generated an average of £363m per club, a decline of £49m compared to 2018-19.”
      Barcelona remain top of the money table despite income dropping £111.5m to £627.1m, less than £200,000 ahead of bitter rivals Real Madrid.
      But United’s £119.1m fall, to £509m – a consequence of missing out on the Champions League – saw them drop below Bayern Munich into fourth place, although the Old Trafford club were still English football’s highest earner.

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      Manchester clubs have the worst net spend in the past decade by some distance

      Other Premier League sides in the top ten were Liverpool, whose £489.9m took them into the top five for the first time since 2001-02, with Manchester City sixth on £481.6m, Chelsea eighth on £411.9m and Spurs ninth with £390.9m.
      Yet the figures are unlikely to recover over the next 12 months as Jones added: “The safe return of fans to stadia in significant numbers is one of the highest priorities across global football.
      “Matchday operations are a cornerstone of a club’s business model and help drive other revenue-generating activity.
      “The final size of the financial impact of the pandemic on football will depend, in no small part, on the timing and scale of fans’ return.”
      ⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

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      Man Utd drop out of Deloitte Money League top three for first time since 2013 as 10 richest clubs revealed

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      EUROPE’S biggest clubs are facing a £2BILLION price for the Covid-19 pandemic.
      The analysis by football finance experts Deloitte lays bare the impact of the crisis on even the game’s elite giants.

      And one significant victim was Manchester United, who dropped out of the top three of Deloitte’s ‘money league’ for the first time since 2013.
      According to the Deloitte number crunchers, the immediate consequence of the virus outbreak was to knock £1.05bn off income for the leading 20 European clubs last year.
      But Deloitte expects 2021 will see a similar impact on TV revenues and with crowds not expected back in grounds until next season at the earliest – and even then likely to be limited – anticipates the total cost will exceed £2bn.
      Analyst Dan Jones, partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, said: “There is no doubt that this is one of the most testing times the football industry has ever had to endure.

      “While no football club has been immune to the challenges of Covid-19, and other clubs have suffered more in relative terms, those in the Money League have borne the greatest financial impact in absolute value terms.
      “In this year’s edition, the top 20 clubs generated an average of £363m per club, a decline of £49m compared to 2018-19.”
      Barcelona remain top of the money table despite income dropping £111.5m to £627.1m, less than £200,000 ahead of bitter rivals Real Madrid.
      But United’s £119.1m fall, to £509m – a consequence of missing out on the Champions League – saw them drop below Bayern Munich into fourth place, although the Old Trafford club were still English football’s highest earner.

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      Manchester clubs have the worst net spend in the past decade by some distance

      Other Premier League sides in the top ten were Liverpool, whose £489.9m took them into the top five for the first time since 2001-02, with Manchester City sixth on £481.6m, Chelsea eighth on £411.9m and Spurs ninth with £390.9m.
      Yet the figures are unlikely to recover over the next 12 months as Jones added: “The safe return of fans to stadia in significant numbers is one of the highest priorities across global football.
      “Matchday operations are a cornerstone of a club’s business model and help drive other revenue-generating activity.
      “The final size of the financial impact of the pandemic on football will depend, in no small part, on the timing and scale of fans’ return.”
      ⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

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      Arsenal ‘to be offered Julian Draxler by PSG’ as part of Matteo Guendouzi transfer

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      ARSENAL could be set to add Julian Draxler to the signing of Martin Odegaard, according to reports in France.
      The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder has been touted for a swap deal involving Matteo Guendouzi.

      Julian Draxler is reportedly being offered to ArsenalCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Matteo Guendouzi is said to be interesting Paris Saint-GermainCredit: AFP or licensors

      According to L’Equipe, Les Parisiens coach Mauricio Pochettino wants to bring in the Frenchman this month.
      A new central midfielder is high on the Argentine’s list with his old Tottenham star, Dele Alli, another man linked.
      But PSG have long held an interest in Guendouzi too with the 21-year-old, born in the Parisian suburbs, signed to the club as a kid.
      Arsenal beat the Ligue 1 side to his signature in 2018 but Mikel Arteta fell out with Guendouzi at the end of last season.

      A loan spell at Hertha Berlin has seen the player enjoy a brief revival of form but the German club cannot afford him past the summer.
      In addition, the sacking of boss Bruno Labbadia has reportedly lost Guendouzi a key ally in the capital amid dressing room tension.

      Arsenal are expected to announce the loan signing of Real Madrid playmaker Odegaard on Tuesday.
      But the Norwegian may not be the only creative midfielder coming in to replace Mesut Ozil, if Draxler is offered.

      The German has start a PSG game since October and was stuck on the bench for Friday’s 4-0 demolition of Montpellier.
      Leeds are also said to be tracking the 27-year-old.
      ⚽ Read our Arsenal live blog for the latest news from The Emirates

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      PSG ARE trying to sign Lionel Messi, confirms Leandro Paredes as he tells Barcelona star transfer is ‘up to him’

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      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN ARE trying to sign Lionel Messi, according to his Argentina team-mate Leandro Paredes.
      The PSG midfielder confirmed his club are pursuing the wantaway Barcelona star and Paredes said ‘it’s up to him’ if he joins.

      PSG ARE trying to sign Lionel Messi, according to Leandro Paredes (right)Credit: Getty Images – Getty

      PSG have been heavily linked with a move for Messi as new boss Mauricio Pochettino looks to stamp his mark on the squad.
      Messi’s Barca contract expires on June 30 this year and he is free to sign pre-contract agreements this month.
      With PSG ‘lurking like vultures’ the Catalans are said to be scared stiff Messi will leave.
      And that fear will have cranked up a notch after PSG midfielder Paredes’ comments.

      He told Corriere dello Sport: “It’s up to Leo to come to the club, because PSG are trying to convince him.
      “To be able to be coached by a coach from your country and the possibility of playing with Leo is a great opportunity. I hope it happens.”
      PSG have been planning the transfer in case Kylian Mbappe quits.
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      How PSG could line up if they land their biggest targets

      Sporting director Leonardo admitted they will try to sign the Argentine superstar after he told cash-strapped Barca he wanted to quit last summer.
      PSG’s starting XI would be phenomenal with Messi, Mbappe and Neymar.
      But the French side will face competition from Manchester City who have made no secret of their desire to reunite Messi with former boss Pep Guardiola at the Etihad after failing to do so in the summer.

      Lionel Messi is being actively pursued by PSG

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      Kylian Mbappe’s future at PSG in doubt after admitting he’s ‘thinking about’ signing new deal putting Liverpool on alert

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      KYLIAN MBAPPE admitted he is ‘thinking’ about signing a new deal at PSG amid interest from Euro giants.
      The French striker’s contract expires next year with several clubs – including Liverpool and Real Madrid – linked with the forward.

      Kylian Mbappe is yet to commit his future to PSG Credit: Pacific Coast News

      But Mbappe, 22, has admitted he is happy in the French capital, where he has won three consecutive Ligue 1 titles.
      He revealed a contract extension has been offered, but he is still undecided on committing to PSG long-term.
      Mbappe told Telefoot: “We are in discussions with the club to try to find a suitable project.
      “I said I was thinking about it because I think that, if I sign it would have to be a long-term commitment to Paris Saint-Germain.

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      “I am very happy here. I have always been very happy. The supporters and the club have always helped me and for that alone I will always be grateful.
      “But, I want to think about what I want to do in the coming years, where I want to be. That’s what I am reflecting on.
      “I will need to make a decision soon but I am thinking about it. If I had the answer right now, I would give it.

      “I don’t want to sign a contract and say a year later that I want to leave. If I sign it is to stay and that deserves time to reflect on my decision.”

      Several success stories have come from January transfers

      Mbappe was speaking after he scored twice in their 4-0 hammering at home to Montpellier.
      It took the 22-year-old’s tally to 14 goals in 22 appearances this season.
      Mbappe has helped fire champions PSG to top of the table, where they now lead under new boss Mauricio Pochettino, who replaced Thomas Tuchel.

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      Pochettino ‘turned down management offers as he waited for Real Madrid to call’ before joining PSG

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      MAURICIO Pochettino turned down management offers to wait for the Real Madrid job to become available, before eventually joining Paris Saint-Germain.
      The former Tottenham boss was out of football for more than a year after being sacked by Daniel Levy in November 2019 following a lengthy spell with the North London club.

      Pochettino won the first trophy of his managerial career when he lifted the Trophee des Champions with PSG earlier this monthCredit: Icon Sport – Getty

      For a long period of time the Argentine coach was linked with replacing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United.
      But it has now been reported by Mundo Deportivo that he was actually waiting to take over from Zinedine Zidane at Madrid.
      Then when it became clear that the role at the Spanish giants was not on the horizon, he decided it was time to return and subsequently accepted the PSG job.
      Pochettino begun his reign at PSG with a disappointing 1-1 draw against St-Etienne.

      But since then the French champions have won three games in a row, including their 2-1 Trophee des Champions victory over Marseille.
      They are top of Ligue 1 by virtue of goal difference, with Lille level on 42 points and Lyon a further two points back.
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      Neymar scored the crucial goal to win PSG the Trophee des ChampionsCredit: PA:Press Association
      PSG are also in the knockout stages of the Champions League and have been drawn against Barcelona in the round of 16.

      Pochettino will be hoping to avenge the club’s recent history with Barcelona after they blew a 4-0 first leg lead in 2017.
      The French side, managed at the time by Unai Emery, were beaten 6-1 at the Nou Camp as they crashed out in the round of 16 four years ago.
      The first leg takes place in Spain on February 16 before the return fixture in France on March 10.

      Pochettino and PSG celebrate after beating Marseille in the in the Trophee des Champions More