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    I’m a Newcastle United superfan – so I transformed my toilet into a mini St James Park

    A NEWCASTLE United fan is so potty about the Toon he turned his loo into a mini St James’ Park.James Longworth, 40, created his very own bog on the Tyne while his wife Tarin was away on a spa weekend.
    Newcastle United fanatic James Longworth has decorated his downstairs toilet like St James ParkCredit: Glen Minikin
    The dad of three has kitted the room out with a Lego copy of the Newcastle United badge above his toilet rollCredit: Glen Minikin
    The dad of three said: “She asked if I could paint the bathroom while she was away so I said ‘sure, how do you want it?’
    “She replied, ‘It’s up to you — just nothing too loud’. I then had this spur-of-the-moment idea.”
    Touches include a £200 mural of stadium St James’ Park, black and white stripes on the other walls and artificial grass on the floor.
    And whenever the door opens, Local Hero plays — the music the team walks out to at home games.
    READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
    Delivery driver James, who lives in Burnley, added: “We used to go to a lot of matches but it’s hard to get tickets now. So if I can’t go to St James’ Park I thought I would bring St James’ Park to me.”
    Tarin, 33, was shocked at first — especially at the artificial grass.
    She said: “We all know that boys don’t always hit the target. So how am I supposed to mop the floor when he has turned it into a football pitch with artificial grass?
    “I do like it now — it’s quirky and a real talking point.”
    Most read in Football
    James decorated the bathroom while his wife Tarin was awayCredit: Glen Minikin
    Despite his love for The Toon, James lives in Burnley and can’t get to many gamesCredit: Glen Minikin
    The bathroom features artificial turfCredit: Glen Minikin
    This is what James bathroom looked like before More

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    We live by Premier League ground – club wants to spend £100m on new stadium but can’t be bothered cleaning up streets

    RESIDENTS living by a Premier League ground said the club wants to spend £100million on a new stadium – but can’t be bothered cleaning up their streets.The Birmingham neighbourhood of Aston is dominated by Villa Park – the 43,000-seat home of Aston Villa.
    Aston Villa have played at Villa Park since 1897Credit: Roland Leon
    Fred Rainey has lived next to the ground for 40 yearsCredit: Roland Leon
    Residents said fans leave litter everywhereCredit: Roland Leon
    Many locals are proud Villa fans – but said that parking problems, litter and road closures all cause havoc on match days.
    The club plans to splash out over £100million on the “first phase of improvements” to the ground, transforming the area.
    People in the neighbourhood said the money would be better spent cleaning it up.
    Aysha Kamal, 18, said: “Every game brings with it a lot of broken glass and food packaging and it’s just left.  
    Read More Sport
    “We have a little park next to our house but it’s always full of cans and bottles and the bins are overflowing days after the game. 
    She added: “We can’t enjoy the space. Rats enjoy the space but that’s all.
    “I don’t get how they can spend millions on players and wages but not sort out the rubbish. 
    “Fans fill up our bins as they pass by and they don’t really consider that this is a residential area.
    Most read in Football
    “They are too busy shouting and screaming.  
    “For us it means making sure we know when a game is on so if we have to do any shopping, we do it early.”
    Neighbour Fred Rainey, 70, said: “I’ve been here for 40 years and the litter is terrible.
    “All the cones and signs are just left around for the next game and the bins in the park are normally overflowing. 
    “Nobody thinks about us residents. They put Motocross on in the stadium during the summer and they had to put down sand and grit down to make it happen.  
    “All our windows were covered in dust and about a week later we got a letter from the Council warning us that there might be some dust around. 
    “I’m used to it now but it’s not great. Nowadays they close the road from the night before the game so you can’t get a taxi or go out for a pint.”
    PARKING MAD
    Villa Park opened in 1897 – and was for many years the alternative to Wembley for FA Cup semi-finals.
    Perry Henry, 62, said: “Personally, I love it. They shut the road so there’s no traffic and all you see is fans going up and down. It’s great to be part of it. 
    “The bigger disruption we have is from concerts where they don’t close the road and people park wherever they like. 
    “They don’t care if they’re blocking people in, they ignore double-yellow lines and leave empty cans on our wall. It’s down to law enforcement. 
    “There is no respect today from little kids to grown ups and you’re frightened to say anything. 
    “I have heard that Villa want to improve the area, bring in fun areas for kids and clean up the parks.
    “I hope it happens and that the Council’s problems don’t hold it up.”
    MET THEIR MATCH
    Sarah Bibi, 28, said: “We just get a lot of rubbish, noise and traffic. As soon as Villa are playing we are stuck in the house, sometimes literally because people have just parked across our drive. 
    “Some people make a sideline out of it. People hang around wearing bibs so they look like stewards and then offer “protection” for peoples’ cars.
    “We are all massive football fans in our house but it is shocking how dirty the area looks – and you would think the club could do something about it.”  
    Denise Farrell, 63, said: “You literally cannot move round here for cars on match days.  
    “I feel sorry for people in wheelchairs because they park up on the curbs and there is no way they can get around.  
    “Why can’t Aston Villa do something about it? They’ve got enough money and it’s getting worse. 
    “People take no notice of signs, no notice of lines and there’s no need for them to be driving.
    “There are two stations nearby and the number 11 bus which goes all around Birmingham.”
    Aston Villa FC has been contacted for comment.
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    On its website, the club said: “The area’s regeneration will begin with a £100m+ investment in the first phase of improvements to Villa Park.
    “It will contribute an estimated £119.9m to the West Midlands economy each year, creating hundreds of jobs during and post-construction – and attracting 1.65m visitors to the local area annually.”
    Denise Farrell said parking is a nightmare around the groundCredit: Roland Leon
    The club wants more fans to use public transportCredit: Roland Leon
    Perry Henry “loves” living next to Villa ParkCredit: Roland Leon More

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    Shamed ex FA chief Luis Rubiales forced to sell his £1.2m home in the wake of ‘kiss-gate’ scandal and divorce battle

    EX-Spanish Football Association Chief Luis Rubiales has been forced to sell his luxury Madrid apartment in the wake of the “kiss-gate” scandal.The £1.2million mansion has been put on the market as Rubiales faces mounting legal bills after his non-consensual kiss with footballer Jenni Hermoso and an increase in alimony to his ex-wife and kids.
    Rubiales set it on the market, allegedly to help with legal billsCredit: Obras Nuevas
    The modern property was recently put on the marketCredit: Obras Nuevas estate agency
    The former FA chief already has to pay double alimony for his daughters after his ex-wife won a lawsuit against him, according to El Mundo.
    Rubiales separated from his wife in 2013, and now has to pay 800 euros per month for each of his three daughters – another financial blow.
    Hermoso filed an official criminal case against Rubiales earlier this month, as the disgraced FA chief continues to insist he is innocent of any wrongdoing.
    Now in a bid to secure funding for his legal fight, the ex-football boss has put his stunning duplex apartment in the exclusive neighbourhood of Rosales, in Madrid, up for sale.
    READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
    Rubiales bought the completely renovated property for £1.1million, but could make a profit of £100k by selling it £1.2million, according to Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia.
    Spread over two floors, the stunning property has two bedrooms with separate bathrooms, a private pool with access to shared gardens, a community pool, gastrobar, home cinema room and gym.
    The ground floor boasts a large living and dining room, two en-suite bedrooms, three bathrooms, fully equipped kitchen, an office, storage room and double garage.
    Finishing touches include a home automation system, underfloor heating and motorised blinds. 
    Most read in Football
    The property is located in a historic building that dates back to 1946 and was, coincidentally, the old Provincial Court of Madrid.
    It is situated in the heart of the capital, just a short walk away from the Plaza de España, and was designed by top architect firm Touza Arquitectos.
    Rubiales put the property up for sale after Hermoso, 33, claimed she “felt vulnerable and the victim of aggression” after the kiss.
    Footage appeared to show Rubiales planting a kiss on the player after Spain triumphed over England at the Women’s World Cup final last month.
    Rubiales initially refused to resign and blamed “false feminism” for his “social assassination”.
    Only days ago, the ex-footy chief was hit with another blow as he was given a restraining order which bans him from contacting Jenni Hermoso or going near her.
    Spain’s former FA president was banned from coming within 200 meters of Hermoso or trying to communicate with her.
    It comes after Hermoso alleged she and her relatives were put under pressure by Rubiales and his entourage to say that she approved what happened.
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    He was hauled into court to be quizzed by a judge after Hermoso filed a formal criminal complaint weeks ago.
    Judge de Jorge launched a criminal investigation into suspected sexual assault after a formal complaint was made by prosecutors.
    The apartment boasts a dining room as wellCredit: Obras Nuevas
    It offers a private pool and balconyCredit: Obras Nuevas estate agency
    He testified in a Madrid court on FridayCredit: Zuma Press
    The £1.2million flat in Madrid has gone on the marketCredit: Obras Nuevas estate agency
    The ex-footy chief could face criminal chargesCredit: Zuma Press More

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    Man City ace Kyle Walker buys his ex Lauryn Goodman ‘massive’ £2.5m seaside mansion to live in with her two kids

    ENGLAND star Kyle Walker has bought a £2.5million seaside mansion for ex Lauryn Goodman to live in with her two children.The luxury five-bedroom house is situated in an exclusive area on the coast.
    Kyle Walker has bought a £2.5million seaside mansion for ex Lauryn Goodman to live in with her two childrenCredit: instagram/@lauryngoodman91
    The 4,000 sq ft detached four-floor home in East Sussex boasts sea views
    Lauryn gave birth to a little girl last month but has refused to name the father — although friends believe he is a footballer.
    She already has a three-year-old son, Kairo, with the £160,000-a-week Three Lions and Manchester City defender.
    The 4,000 sq ft detached four-floor home in East Sussex boasts sea views.
    A source close to the 33-year-old ace said Lauryn is thrilled about the new pad.
    READ MORE KYLE WALKER
    Ex-Towie star Lauryn, 32, first got pregnant during a brief relationship in 2019 while the footballer was on a break from wife Annie, mother to his three older children.
    Since then the two women have had very public spats.
    The source said: “Kyle has spent so much on this house. It cost a fortune.
    “Lauryn is obviously pleased Kyle has finally done the right thing. She wants the kids to feel happy and secure.
    Most read in Football
    “Lauryn has been living with her mum for ages — with both kids cramped in one room — and it hasn’t been easy.
    “It is an amazing house, she is thrilled. It’s like something out of Footballers’ Wives. It’s massive.
    “Lauryn isn’t living there yet. First she is spending an absolute fortune on doing it up exactly how she wants it.
    “She’s working with a fancy interior designer and plans on filling the huge garden and terrace with high-end furniture and a fire pit.
    “She is splurging on bespoke curtains and blinds alone worth £40,000.”
    The source added: “Lauryn says she is single. She won’t even say who the dad of her daughter is.
    “Her friends think it is a footballer and they have asked her outright but she just won’t tell anybody and refuses to say who it is, saying only that it will be known when the time is right.
    “The baby is adorable and Lauryn is loving every second of being a mum again. She says it is so much easier the second time around.
    “The baby has a huge amount of hair, a full head just like Kairo had when he was born. But Lauryn still hasn’t said what she is called.”
    Lauryn got pregnant while the footballer was on a break from wife Annie, mother to his three older childrenCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
    Lauryn has three-year-old son, Kairo, with the £160,000-a-week Three Lions and Manchester City defenderCredit: PA More

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    I watch live Premier League games from my FLAT – I save hundreds on a season ticket but there’s a downside

    A FOOTBALL fan has revealed how she can watch live Premier League games from her own flat – but there’s a downside.Noemi Oberhauser, 23, rents out her two-bedroom flat for £1,200 a month – and it comes with a staggering view of West London’s Gtech Community Stadium, home of Brentford FC.
    Noemi Oberhauser, 23, loves the views of the football stadiumCredit: instagram
    Noemi Oberhauser lives by West London’s Gtech Community Stadium – home of Brentford FCCredit: Rex
    The singer-songwriter can see almost the entire pitch from her flatCredit: SWNS
    The singer-songwriter can see almost the entire pitch from her flat – with the football fan loving to cheer on Brentford with her mates after moving in last October.
    And she saves hundreds thanks to her flat’s location as an East Stand season ticket can cost up to £449.

    Speaking to the Mirror, Noemi said: “I never watched football before. Now I’m a huge Brentford fan.
    “I love this apartment.”
    She added: “I saw all these new buildings around the stadium and I thought I’d love to live there one day.
    “I was actively searching for that apartment and some of the flats were available. The view is amazing.”
    The first match she watched was Brentford vs Chelsea which she loved.
    But the football fan revealed the flat does have one downside – that the net closest to her is blocked out.
    Most read in Football
    It means she misses a goal or two.
    The downside doesn’t phase her though – with the football fan saying she simply switches on the TV to see the blocked goal.
    Thanks to her flat, the young woman can watch stars like Bryan Mbeumo.
    She also now has binoculars to watch the action, just as if she was in the stands herself.
    Noemi added: “My friends think it’s cool.”
    She’s not the only football fan to love living next to a football stadium in the UK.
    Those living next to the Ashton Gate Stadium, home of Bristol City Football Club have revealed how crowds descend on their homes.
    Whenever a goal is scored roars from the football stadium echo around the streets.
    And many locals said they were forced to park their car somewhere else on match day – but the upside was free tickets to concerts.
    READ MORE SUN STORIES
    Josh Bennett, 28, told The Sun: “I sometimes have to move my car when there’s a game on and there’s often a heavy police presence with horses.
    “But it’s a novelty rather than an inconvenience and I love the nice vibe we get from there always being something going on.”
    The football fan loves cheering on the teamCredit: SWNS
    The football fan loves cheering on Brentford FCCredit: Getty
    The young woman said her friends love her flatCredit: instagram More

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    Stadium with bigger capacity than Premier League teams ‘left to rot’ with weeds & graffiti as locals blast £70M ‘waste’

    A STADIUM that can hold a larger capacity crowd than some Premier League sides has been left to rot as locals say it was a huge waste of money.Residents living in the shadow of Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games stadium say the area has been left “to rot and go to waste” amid the council’s bankruptcy woes.
    Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium used for the Commonwealth Games has now been left to rotCredit: SWNS
    The flats which were built for the athletes are now left emptyCredit: SWNS
    The stadium has been daubed with graffitiCredit: SWNS
    Locals in Perry Barr, in the north of the city, claim the costly bid to host last summer’s games has had little benefit to their community despite a staggering £184m investment.
    Alexander Stadium was revamped ahead of the multi-million pound sporting event – but the surrounding area has since been left in disrepair and “like a building site”.
    The stadium could hold a capacity crowd of 18,000, making it larger than Luton Town’s ground which can hold 11,500 while Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium can accommodate 11,379.
    Apart from seeing “no legacy whatsoever” following the games people say the area is now a complete mess with much of it still fenced off with graffiti-clad boards.
    Read More on Stadiums
    Parts of Perry Park have remained inaccessible since last summer with a Birmingham 2022 tarmac car park still in place.
    Families also say there is no equipment for children to use following the removal of the play area and little green space for them to enjoy.
    Angry residents have now called for the works on the park to be completed but fear they may never happen following the council effectively declaring itself bankrupt.
    They accused the local authority of making “empty promises” and say they should have known the cost of hosting the games would be the “final nail in the coffin.”
    Most read in Athletics
    Birmingham City Council boasted it would regenerate the inner city area including new homes, a shipping container park and the revamped stadium.
    New flats were also built nearby for the athletes’ village but the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and spiralling costs meant they were not ready on time.
    A whopping £16m was spent moving the Perry Barr bus depot 300 metres to make way for the flat development.
    Residents say the benefits of hosting the event was difficult to see 13 months on from welcoming people from across the globe to the city.
    Mum-of-two Sandra Wilde, 45, of Perry Barr, said: “It’s no wonder the council has gone bankrupt – we should never have hosted the games. It was just a vanity project.
    “It was all unveiled to great fanfare when behind the scenes they were struggling to balance the books even back then.
    “The area has been left a real mess with people unable to use our local park. You’ve got fences and big boards up everywhere which are strewn with graffiti.
    “It’s attracting anti-social behaviour. If anything the area has got worse not better.
    “They have made empty promises the whole way through – from an athletes’ village which wasn’t even used to a train station design that changed from a state-of-the art place to what looks like a copper garden shed.
    “The council also spent stupid amounts of money on moving a bus depot a few yards down the road – it’s just baffling this has been allowed to happen.”
    Jon Pritchard, 31, an IT worker, from Perry Barr, added: “We’ve been constantly fobbed off with false promises and the place has been left to rot.
    “It’s been a complete waste of money and now the council has gone bust I fear the work will never get finished.
    “It’s still like a building site a more than a year on. The stadium lies derelict most of the time. The place is dead. Nobody lives in the athletes’ village flats yet either.
    “The atmosphere during the games was magical and it felt like Birmingham was finally on the map – now we’re just back to being a laughing stock again.
    “It’s scandalous what they have done. How can a big city likes this, the Second City, be allowed to go bankrupt. It’s sheer incompetence.”
    Amdadur Rahman moved to Perry Barr from Stratford, East London, a few weeks ago and said the Birmingham games legacy was nothing compared to the 2012 Olympics.
    He said: “They should have put on more activities and sorted the park for the children. You go to the Olympic Stadium and there’s lots of stuff for kids.
    “Compared to the London stadium which is open to people, this stadium is dead. So they should be doing something.
    “This place should be busy, but it’s not, they should be working with schools to advertise it for community use. It could be really nice.
    “Now the council going bankrupt makes me very concerned they won’t finish the work off in the park and surrounding area.”
    Full-time mum Khameela Bukhari, 35, added: “It’s just horrible, you can’t take the kids to do anything. It’s one of those places you don’t want to go anywhere near now.
    “We were promised the park would be finished for residents to go back there and there’s nothing. It’s heartbreaking. It’s not a nice place to be anymore.
    “It’s like a junk place, people would dump things. It was horrible. We were told it would go back to normal. We didn’t think we would be stuck like this.
    “It’s like one big hole. At the stadium nothing is happening, it’s all fenced off, what’s the point? It’s all false promises.
    “We were told everything would be better for residents and there would be this games legacy and there’s been nothing. Nothing has been done.
    “it’s not fair on us, we all pay our taxes. The facilities were there and they’ve not been given back. It’s dead money. They’ve invested but what’s happening after? Nothing.”
    Kath Sandra, 70, who lives near the stadium, said: “It was only yesterday we said it was looking a right mess. We don’t know what’s going on.
    “They took a play area away and haven’t given it back. There’s a lot of gripe there with parents. They built some flats but nobody uses them.
    “The Commonwealth Games was amazing and it must have bought money in. But now they are bankrupt through their own fault and it us that will have to pay for it.”
    The largest local authority in Europe this week issued a Section 114 notice preventing all but essential spending and still has a budget gap of £87m to plug.
    The total cost of the games was estimated at about £778m, with the city council and local partners contributing around £184m.
    Months before the games, the council reported a £25m hole in its funding for the event and said the shortfall would be made up from a contingency fund.
    A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: “Since the Alexander Stadium was handed back by Games organisers to the council in November 2022, a programme of reinstatement works has started in parallel with the development of plans to deliver a wide range of further legacy enhancements to the surrounding park area.
    “This has resulted in various parts of the site being re-opened to the public as soon as possible since then.
    “Local residents, site users and community groups have been kept updated throughout – and we are preparing for a period of public engagement on the legacy proposals that will be starting soon.
    “We fully understand the desire for the park to be reinstated and appreciate the patience that has been shown in recent months.
    “We are determined to work with those who have an interest in the park to shape plans for a significantly enhanced site for everyone to enjoy.”
    Regarding the Games, the spokesperson added: “The Commonwealth Games was a fantastic achievement and a great showcase for the city on a global stage.
    “These immediate challenges will not diminish the council’s ambition in supporting the upward trajectory that the City of Birmingham is currently experiencing following the successful delivery of the Games.
    Read More on The Sun
    “Record levels of investment continue to flow into the city, and the council will work with key strategic partners to ensure that this remains the case.
    “Birmingham is very much open for business.”
    Locals say the area has been left ‘to rot and go to waste’ as Birmingham City Council struggle with its financesCredit: SWNS
    Alexander Stadium, which remains incomplete and inaccessible to the public, has left a bad feeling among localsCredit: SWNS More

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    Stadium bigger than Wembley with 100,000 seats left half-finished with cranes still standing after club relegated

    A HALF-finished stadium larger than Wembley has been left abandoned with the cranes still in place.The Chinese Super League side Guangzhou Evergrande, now known just as Guangzhou FC, left fans impressed when they announced ambitious plans for their new stadium which could hold a capacity crowd of 100,000 people.
    The stadium remains half-finishedCredit: Getty
    How the developers hoped the finished stadium would have lookedCredit: Reuters
    The stadium has been left abandoned ever since the property developer ran into financial dificultyCredit: AFP
    The initial design was for a Lotus-shaped structure which would have put England’s home ground in northwest London in the shade.
    Wembley can hold a capacity crowd of 90,000 while the biggest stadium in Europe, Barcelona’s Camp Nou, can seat a maximum of 99,354.

    However, since work got under way in April 2020, The Evergrande Group, one of China’s largest property developers and owners of the club, has run into financial trouble and is struggling with debt.
    Evergrande, China’s most indebted developer, is thought to have debts totalling a massive £220billion.
    Read More on Stadiums
    Those crippling debts forced the firm to halt construction on the new stadium in Guangzhou.
    In November 2021, the stadium was seized by the Chinese government with plans to sell the incomplete stadium to another company or transfer ownership to the state-owned Guangzhou City Construction Investment Group.
    The project was ultimately cancelled in mid-2022.
    Photographs of the half-finished ground show the stands left with part-filled seats and the cranes still in place as there were no builders to man them.
    Most read in Football
    What had been built of the stadium was set to be auctioned off.
    Last December though, the Chinese government was forced to step in and take over the debt-riddled firm’s stadium.
    Reports suggest Evergrande stands to make a loss of around £143million on the project after giving up the property rights to the land to the government.
    With the stadium left abandoned Guangzhou FC has been forced to remain at the multi-purpose Tianhe Stadium, which has been their home ground since 2011, and has a capacity crowd of just over 50,000.
    Despite the side being a dominant force in Chinese football over the past decade, lifting eight CSL titles in 11 years, it was regulated from the Super League in 2022 having won just three games in 33 matches.
    Evergrande filed for bankruptcy protection in the US in August 2023.
    In July this year, it posted a combined loss of £64billion for 2021 and 2022.
    The property giant’s troubles though are only the tip of the iceberg as China’s property sector remains in turmoil.
    Major developers have failed to complete housing projects, which has triggered protests and mortgage boycotts from homeowners.
    There are also fears that problems in the country’s property sector could impact other parts of China’s economy as growth slows.
    Since the sector’s debt crisis unfolded in mid-2021, companies accounting for 40 per cent of Chinese home sales have defaulted.
    Beijing has recently tried to bolster the real estate sector by cutting mortgage rates, slashing red tape and offering more loans to developers.
    Huge apartment blocks have been left eerily quiet as construction stops and unfinished skyscrapers have even been bulldozed.
    The shocking oversupply of housing in China means analysts have estimated an eyewatering 90million people could be housed in the empty properties.
    The construction frenzy has also left half-built amusements parks and tourist attractions abandoned for years – and a full-scale replica of the Titanic costing £110million has been sat rusting for six years.
    Read More on The Sun
    An amusement park called Wonderland near Beijing has been deserted for more than 20 years after a feud between the local government and farmers over property prices halted construction.
    It was promised to be the “largest amusement park in Asia” – but it’s now it’s a post-apocalyptic maze of overgrown pathways and abandoned castle-like buildings.
    Cranes have been left abandoned on the siteCredit: Getty
    The original plans were for the stadium to hold a capacity crowd of 100,000Credit: AFP
    Evergrande stands to make a loss of around £143million on the project, reports sayCredit: AFP More

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    Inside luxury enclave where Mason Greenwood could live in eight-bedroom mansion in Spain’s ‘Beverly Hills’

    MASON Greenwood could be set to move into a sprawling mansion in an exclusive neighbourhood that was once home to superstars like David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane. On Friday the striker sealed a season-long loan deal to LaLiga side Getafe in an attempt to kick start his career.
    Mason Greenwood signs for Getafe CF Mason Greenwood to Getafe, deal now sealed and signedCredit: @GetafeCFen / Twitter
    The exclusive neighbourhood of LaFinca is just a 20-minute drive from Getafe
    The entrance to the gated communityCredit: PROMORA
    Manchester United will contribute around £8,000 per month toward the villaCredit: PROMORA/YOUTUBE
    Big stars such as Beckham and Zidane used to live in the area
    Manchester United confirmed last month Greenwood would not play for the club again after a six-month internal investigation into rape and assault charges that were dropped.
    The Sun exclusively revealed that Man United had put together a care package worth £8,000 per month which will pay for villa near his new club’s training ground.

    Now The Sun can reveal that Greenwood could be set to move into an exclusive enclave on the outskirts of Madrid that was once home to superstars such as Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zidane and Gareth Bale.
    Fernando Torres and Sergio Ramos are among the current residents in LaFinca, where properties sell for around €15million and can cost up to €20,000 per month to rent.
    It is known as one of the most exclusive neighbourhoods in Spain, offering top notch security and most importantly, privacy.
    The enclave is described as Spain’s ‘Beverly Hills’ and is home to some of the country’s wealthiest people with sprawling mansions, luxury golf courses and shopping malls.
    A private security firm has agents patrolling its tree-lined streets, while guards are stationed at the entrance 24/7.
    It has three perimeter fences to keep out unwelcome visitors and any potential burglars, while scores of security cameras have every corner covered.
    Most read in Football
    It is deemed so safe that many of the homeowners reportedly don’t even bother installing an alarm system in the upmarket area of Pozuelo de Alarcon.
    Bale paid around £10,000-per-month in rent to stay in the Pozuelo de Alarcón part of La Finca, in an amazing 1,500 square metre property that is built on two-storeys.
    It boasts four bedrooms, an indoor pool, gym, two utility rooms, several terraces and porches, as well as a six-car garage.
    Former Man United ace Ronaldo bought a home there for around €5million in 2010 before carrying out extensive renovation works.
    It now counts seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a fully-equipped gym, garage and more.
    The home was last year shown on the Netflix reality show ‘Soy Georgina’, which followed the daily life of his partner Georgina Rodriguez.
    LaFinca is one of two luxury neighbourhoods that Greenwood would likely move to, the other being La Moraleja, just a further 20 minutes’ drive north-east.
    They have endured a fierce rivalry when it comes to footballers in recent years.
    A spokeswoman from estate agency Promora, which sells properties in both areas, told the Sun: “I cannot say where Greenwood will be living but it will most likely be between La Finca or La Morajela.
    “Either are like a footballer’s paradise because they are very green areas with wide avenues and with great 24-hour security.
    “They have everything they need with their own shops, supermarkets and cinemas etc, meaning they don’t ever have to leave.
    In 2016, French player Raphael Varane had his home in La Moraleja raided.
    The spokesman added: “It really depends on their lifestyle. If they have children for example, La Moraleja can be a preferred option because there are many top quality international colleges nearby.”
    MAD FOR IT
    One mansion in the Moraleja neighbourhood of Alcobendas even has a nuclear bunker.
    The H-shaped estate, which David Beckham visited during his stint at Real Madrid, has an 80 square metre bunker that is ‘totally sealed’ off, complete with a bedroom, bathroom, food supplies and a radio communication system, according to director of Promora Gonzalo Lopez-van Dam.
    While La Moraleja has a private security firm, some of its streets are still accessible to the public, increasing the risk of being photographed or robbed.
    Nevertheless, it still attracts huge stars, including Real Madrid’s Luka Modric, who lives in a €12million villa with his wife and three children.
    It now appears that Greenwood is determined to seize the chance to turn his career around in Spain.
    A source said: “He’s going on loan but remains a United player.“It means the club has an ongoing duty of care to him and they’ve pledged to help him make a success of his move to Spain.
    “The villa is big enough for friends and family to visit. They will get the opportunity to travel to see him as much as they can.
    “It’s important he has a solid support network around him. The last thing they want is Mason isolated.”
    It is understood United will pay more than half of his £75,000-a-week wages while he is in Spain.
    Another source said Greenwood is raring to go. They added: “He’s happy he’s got himself a club in LaLiga and can finally begin to put the last two years behind him.
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    “He wants to concentrate on football and becoming the best version of himself — on and off the field. He’s looking forward to playing against Barcelona and Real Madrid.
    “He’s going to show everyone that he’s changed and that he’s matured. He knows it’ll be a long road but it starts here.”
    A view of the renowned Pozuelo de AlarconCredit: Wikipedia
    A communal garden in the gated suburb popular with footballers
    La Moraleja is another exclusive enclave in the areaCredit: supplied
    Private security guards patrol the streetsCredit: Handout More