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      Chelsea ‘make transfer enquiry for Christantus Uche’ months after he was signed from Spanish third tier for £400k

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      CHELSEA have enquired about Getafe sensation Christantus Uche ahead of the January transfer window, reports suggest.Uche, 21, joined the LaLiga side from Spanish third-tier outfit Ceuta in July for a bargain €500,000 (£416,000) and has since taken the top flight by storm.Chelsea have enquired about Getafe sensation Christantus UcheCredit: GettyUche has taken LaLiga by storm after joining Getafe from the Spanish third tier last summerCredit: AlamyThe versatile midfielder has started in all 10 league matches this season and even scored on his debut against Athletic Bilbao to save a point in a 1-1 draw for Jose Bordalas’ side.According to Relevo, the Nigerian is already attracting interest ahead of the January transfer window.And Chelsea are among Uche’s suitors as they are closely following his incredible development.The same source claims the Blues have already enquired about the playmaker and discussed a potential deal.Read More on FootballIt is understood that the ex-Nigeria youth international has an “affordable termination clause” on his contract, which runs until 2028.Uche’s stunning rise has also caught the eye of his national team and thus a first ever senior Nigeria call-up is now imminent.The versatile player, who can also play as a false nine, has turned a lot of heads in LaLiga this season despite having no experience at elite level before his move to the Coliseum. Uche amassed a total of 36 appearances last term with Ceuta, where he also picked up two assists.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThe attacking midfielder quickly won over Bordalas and the rest of his team-mates.And thus Uche is now fully focused on his new team, which has yet to kick into gear.Chelsea star spotted at Emirates Stadium watching Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Shakhtar DonetskGetafe are currently 16th in the table after three losses and only one win in 10 matches.Chelsea ratings vs LiverpoolBy Ken LawrenceLIVERPOOL held on to beat Chelsea 2-1 in a thriller as they moved to the top of the Premier League table.Mohamed Salah opened the scoring against his former club from the penalty spot after Levi Colwill tripped Curtis Jones in the box.Chelsea went into the break trailing and it was nearly worse, only for VAR to overturn a second Liverpool penalty after Robert Sanchez’s lunge on Jones.The Blues came out from the break flying and Nicolas Jackson equalised.But they failed to hold on with star of the show Jones netting the winner just minutes later.Here is how SunSport rated the Chelsea players at Anfield.ROBERT SANCHEZ – 5Survived a shocker of a challenge on Jones to not give away a pen and never convincing.REECE JAMES – 6Got through 53 minutes in first start since last December and will surely shake off the rust.TOSIN ADARABIOYO – 5  Booked early on for clattering into Diogo Jota and no surprise was hooked for the second half.LEVI COLWILL –  5Got away with one challenge against a diving Salah but a no- challenge penalty after hacked on Jones.MALO GUSTO – 7  Intelligent display and constant threat down the left flank in the first half especially.MOISES CAICEDO – 5At £105m and in Chelsea’s biggest test of the season was found badly wanting.ROMEO LAVIA – 5Got the nod over Enzo Fernandez from the start but failed to show any urgency.NONI MADUEKE – 6Always mobile and was productive playing as a right-sided attacker – giving Robertson a tough afternoon.COLE PALMER – 5  Deployed in central midfield but struggled to show his star quality and blazed over a good chance just before the break.JADON SANCHO  – 4Lacked any real spark and unsurprisingly hooked off at the start of the second half.NICOLAS JACKSON – 7Picked up a typically mouthy booking but the boy definitely has something – as his fine equaliser proved.SUBS:PEDRO NETO (for Sancho 46) – 6Looked a whole lot livelier than the wide man he took over from.BENOIT BADIASHILE (for Adarabioyo 53) – 6Looked a lot steadier than the centre-back he replaced.RENATO VEIGA (for James 53) – 5Got stuck in and was booked.ENZO FERNANDEZ (for Romeo Lavia) – 6Worked diligently to use his passing to make an impact late on.CHRISTOPHER NKUNKU (for Noni Madueke 76) – 5Found it difficult to make his presence felt as the Reds dug in to win. More

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      Meet England wonderkid Jamie Gittens, 20, who made history vs Real Madrid, changed name and will eye place under Tuchel

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      IN a flash, Jamie Gittens has become Borussia Dortmund’s heir-apparent to Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho.At 20 years old and 75 days, Gittens became the youngest English player to score against Real Madrid in the Champions League, when he put Dortmund two goals ahead at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night.Jamie Gittens suddenly finds himself in the form of his life after scoring his third Champions League goal of the seasonThe 20-year-old became the youngest English player to score against Real Madrid in the Champions LeagueGittens beat former Leeds forward Alan Smith by about two months with his clever back-post run and simple finish to establish a stunning two-goal lead over the holders after half an hour.But despite going on to lose 5-2 in Madrid, courtesy of a Vinicius Junior second half hat-trick, Gittens has cemented his name in the Champions League history books after being subbed off at 2-0 in the 55th minute.In fact, only Harry Kane (four) has more European goals than Gittens, who has three, this season.The England wonderkid, who previously went by the surname Bynoe-Gittens before changing it on his Barbadian dad’s advice, is in the form of his life.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSHe has scored six goals and registered three assists in 11 games in all competitions this season.After making history on Tuesday, he told TNT Sports: “To lose how we did should not have happened. But this stadium is so magical. They have great players to make impacts and they did it again tonight.”Gittens scored Dortmund’s first two goals in their last Champions League outing as they beat Club Brugge 3-0, after a stoppage-time penalty from Serhou Guirassy.The Reading-born winger has already starred in a European final, coming on from the bench at Wembley when Madrid won their 15th title in June.Most read in FootballGittens shortened his name from Bynoe-Gittens at the behest of his fatherFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSGittens went the Sancho route of joining Dortmund straight from Manchester City’s academy four years ago.He has since made 51 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund since joining the first team from the Under-19 side in July 2022.15 year old Jamie Bynoe-Gittens shows why he is such a special player at Man City Bellingham named his fellow Englishman as his successor to the Golden Boy award when the Madrid superstar won it in December.Gittens signed up with Reading at Under-9 level after rejecting an invitation to switch to Chelsea.He told Secret Scout: “I’m from Reading and started when I was about four. “I was playing for a little local team called Cavs and Trents from the age of five to seven. “My dad used to play cricket so I was caught between football and cricket. “I played a little but obviously football turned out better. I then went to Reading, and was also at Chelsea too for a bit. “I got to U9s level where I had to pick between Reading and Chelsea. I picked Reading and stayed there until U14s.”He eventually moved north to join Man City’s Under-15s.His train to City would take three hours so he would stay with a host family up there and joined a new school in Manchester. The distance was tough on both him and his family.Gittens revealed he also turned down approaches from Arsenal to move to Manchester.He said: “It was an easy decision. I could have gone to Arsenal but I chose City because they were producing players like Brahim Diaz and Jadon Sancho back then.”At the start, I didn’t really believe it. I’m from a small town in the middle of nowhere. “When they told me that they wanted me, I was just surprised, but thought that all the hard work I had put in was paying off.”He was highly-rated at City but in 2020 moved to Dortmund, believing it would provide him a quicker route to the first team.England fans are already getting excited at the prospect of Dortmund developing another Three Lions talent.Gittens could be set to earn himself an England call-up as new boss Thomas Tuchel will be fully aware of his talent, having faced him as Bayern Munich manager in March.A month into his training with us, we were thinking ‘Christ, this boy has got some serious ability’. His dribbling was incredible, even as a six-year-oldCoach Martyn BeneyGittens played the final half-an-hour of Dortmund’s 2-0 win over Bayern in March.Although he has grown up in Dortmund, he has been progressing through England’s youth levels.The winger was part of England’s triumphant Under-19 Euro campaign two years ago, starting the 3-1 win over Israel in the final alongside recent senior call-up Jarell Quansah.He has made 10 appearances for England’s Under-21s and is set to play a prominent role under Lee Carsley, who will return to the fold after a three-camp stint with the first-team.Martyn Beney coached Gittens as a seven-year-old at local club Caversham Trents, who also produced female star Fran Kirby.The 49-year-old told SunSport earlier this year: “A month into his training with us, we were thinking ‘Christ, this boy has got some serious ability’. His dribbling was incredible, even as a six-year-old.Gittens joined Man City’s academy from Reading aged 15Credit: Manchester City“Jamie was a shy boy behind the scenes, with a really nice, sporty family, but they didn’t push him. “They said they wanted him to be coached in a way where he could enjoy it, learn a few things along the way and can develop naturally. That’s exactly what we did.“We worked out quickly that he was a goal-scorer, and he scored a ridiculous number of goals.“But he was happy to play anywhere. He would even go in goal at times and he wasn’t bad.”His German is developing nicely too, after three and a half years of three lessons a week, and is even conducting parts of some interviews in it.He has also had to curb his sweet-tooth ways in his bid to reach the top, confessing: “When I was younger, I used to always eat chocolate and sweets.“I had to cut that out. Now I try to avoid sugar as much as I can.”Future England star?Jamie Gittens was born in Reading in August 2004.He was outstanding at a very early age, and played at Chelsea’s famous Cobham Academy aged eight.Gittens went to Reading before moving to Man City’s academy in 2018.He moved to Borussia Dortmund in 2020, and made his debut in the Bundesliga in April 2022, against Wolfsburg.He is a winger blessed with pace, outstanding dribbling skills and a cool head in front of goalGittens has played for England at U15, U16, U18, U19 and U21 levels, but could also represent Barbados.Gittens in training with the England Under-21s in September 2023Credit: PAGittens playing for England Under-19s v Italy in 2022Credit: GettyThe talented wideman’s new lease of life has coincided with using a shorter version of his surname on the back of his shirt.In August 2024, Dortmund announced that he would play under the surname “Gittens”, rather than “Bynoe-Gittens” as he had previously used. Gittens told Dortmund’s official website: “Both are my father’s names, but he said he thinks it’s better if I’m just called Gittens because it’s shorter.READ MORE SUN STORIES”Most people know him as Gittens, so in the future, I’ll only wear Gittens.”The “shorter the better” he told German outlet Bild. More

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      Man Utd ‘contact Barcelona legend Xavi over replacing Erik ten Hag’ as three-man shortlist emerges if he is sacked

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have contacted former Barcelona boss Xavi over potentially replacing Erik ten Hag, according to reports.The 44-year-old has been out of work since leaving Barca at the end of last season.Xavi has been linked with replacing Erik ten Hag at Man UtdCredit: PAThe former midfielder has been a free agent since leaving Barcelona at the end of last seasonCredit: EPATen Hag, 54, has come under intense scrutiny so far this season.Following the Red Devils’ 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham last month, the Dutchman’s United future appeared to be in severe doubt.They have since drawn away matches at Porto and Aston Villa, before coming from behind to beat Brentford at Old Trafford last Saturday.According to the Mail, United chiefs have identified Xavi as a possible Ten Hag replacement.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThey claim that contact has twice been made between United and Xavi via intermediaries in recent months.Man Utd CEO Omar Berrada jetted out to Barcelona last Thursday for meetings as part of a four-man delegation.Figures within United claim that several meetings have taken place in the Catalan city recently due to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos taking part in sailings America’s Cup there.Xavi began his managerial career with Qatari side Al-Sadd in 2019.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSAfter winning a league title and six domestic trophies, the former midfielder was appointed Barca boss in 2021.Amid financial turmoil off the pitch, Xavi guided the Blaugrana to a LaLiga title during the 2022-23 season, also winning the Spanish Supercup in 2023.Xavi to leave BarcelonaFollowing a 5-3 defeat to Villarreal in January, Xavi announced that he would be stepping down as boss at the end of the season.In April he had a change of heart, however, saying he would fulfil his contract, which had been set to run until 2025.But the following month, the club legend was sacked by club president Joan Laporta.Prior to Xavi, Thomas Tuchel and Gareth Southgate had been linked with the Man Utd job.Both have subsequently been ruled out of contention, however, with Tuchel accepting the England job and Southgate vowing that he won’t coach for 12 months.In addition to Xavi, United are claimed to be interested in former Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic and current Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim.The latter, however, is also being strongly linked with Manchester City, should Pep Guardiola leave the Etihad at the end of the season.Alejandro Garnacho is United’s top scorer in the leagueMan Utd’s next five gamesNine managers Man Utd considered before keeping Erik ten HagERIK TEN HAG appears to be safe as Man Utd manager, but the Dutchman edged dangerously close to the sack.Here are nine managers Red Devils chiefs are reported to have considered for the job and what allegedly happened with each.Gareth SouthgateEnjoys plenty of support among Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos chiefs but made clear he wouldn’t talk to any clubs until after Euro 2024. There is yet to be any suggestion that contact was made with the England boss.Kieran McKennaTalks were opened with McKenna’s representatives before the FA Cup final, but the former Man Utd coach opted to sign a new deal with Ipswich after Ten Hag’s Wembley win.Roberto De ZerbiAllegedly sounded out before the FA Cup final with salary expectations discussed. But Ineos chiefs concluded ex-Brighton boss was not the right fit for the project.Thomas FrankBrentford boss met Man Utd representatives the day before the FA Cup final. The Dane also dined with Ratcliffe, Roy Hodgson and Frank Lampard at the launch of a new Ineos car in February.Marco SilvaFulham boss reportedly met Man Utd representatives face-to-face two days before the FA Cup final, around the same time as Ten Hag was conducting his press conference.Mauricio PochettinoFell out of Man Utd’s thinking in the first week of June, despite being a favourite of Sir Alex Ferguson.Thomas TuchelMade a very strong impression and came across well during a Monaco meeting. Personal terms were discussed before the ex-Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss decided to step back from the process.Ruben AmorimSporting boss was discussed by the Man Utd hierarchy but did not make the final reckoning.Roberto MartinezPortugal manager was considered in the early stages. More

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      Jude Bellingham has last laugh after another Englishman threatened to upstage Real Madrid star at Bernabeu

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      VINICIUS JR produced a magical hat-trick after another Englishman threatened to upstage Jude Bellingham at Real Madrid.The holders produced a stunning comeback from 2-0 at half time to win 5-2 against the team they beat in last season’s final.Jude Bellingham missed two sitters for Real MadridCredit: GettyReal Madrid completed an incredible comebackCredit: GettyVinicius Junior scored a hat-trickCredit: APDortmund’s revenge mission looked to be on course when they silenced the Bernabeu on the half hour mark.Some great hustling to win the ball back from Julian Brandt led to Serhou Guirassy laying it off for Donyell Malen to finish past Thibaut Courtois.Madrid were in shock – and they were well and truly on the ropes just four minutes later.Dortmund broke furiously as Dutchman Malen raced and jinked to the byline.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHe slid the ball right across the face of the goal and England U21 star Gittens, who moved to Germany from Manchester City’s academy in 2020, arrived at the perfect time unmarked to knock it home on the stretch.Bellingham was furious but his compatriot was on cloud nine as, at 20 Years and 75 days, youngest Englishmen ever to score vs Real Madrid in the Champions League.Bellingham was even angrier when he blew the opportunity to land an instant response by hedging straight at the keeper.Brandt was denied a third by a flying save from Courtois and it proved a key moment as Real exploded into life after the break.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSRodrygo and Bellingham were both denied by the woodwork but it was the decision by Dortmund boss Nuri Sahin to replace winger Gittens in a defensive move that ultimately cost them.Antonio Rudiger got Madrid back in business with a header and Vinicius Junior slotted home two minutes later to level.Courtois made a great save to stop Maximilian Beier as the game entered the last ten and within seconds his team had completed the turnaround up the other end.Mbappe’s deflected pass fell for Lucas Vazquez to run on to and lash home.Bellingham then had the last laugh as his brilliant tackle won back the ball before Vinicius made it four.And the electric Brazilian then claimed the matchball with the final kick.The hat-trick hero declared after his magical run and finish for the third: “I want to stay here forever. I love Real Madrid.“We want to win the Champions League again.”While manager Carlo Ancelotti added: “I think Vinicius will win the Ballon D’Or but not because of what he did tonight. He helped us win the Champions League last season. These goals are for the next Ballon D’Or.”READ MORE SUN STORIESMonaco thrashed Red Star Belgrade 5-1 while AC Milan enjoyed a 3-1 triumph over Club Brugge.Girona were 2-0 victors over Slovan Bratislava, Juventus drew 0-0 with Stuttgart, PSG and PSV drew 1-1, while Sporting won 2-0 at Sturm Graz.Jamie Bynoe-Gittens scored for Borussia DortmundCredit: Getty More

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      European giants in freefall with ‘world’s greatest stadium’ left abandoned and owner told to go home and never return

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      THEY were in the Champions League final two seasons running just two decades ago.But now one of Europe’s biggest clubs are in freefall.Furious fans protested after defeat left the club bottom of the leagueCredit: x @sanchis14No work has been done on their new stadium since 2009Credit: GettyThe ghostly shell of a ground sits in the middle of a major European cityCredit: GettyA skip was set on fire as fans protested against the ownershipCredit: X @pacopolitThey currently sit bottom of the league on just six points and staring down the barrel at relegation.And following their latest humiliating defeat, fans blockaded the stadium in the hope of trapping the hated owners inside.Meanwhile, construction of a new ground which was meant to be the ‘world’s greatest stadium’ has ground to a complete halt with nothing done since 2009.As a result of the Nou Mestalla being left an empty shell with no plan for work to restart, it was scrapped as a World Cup 2030 host venue.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSAnd all of this has left the club’s fans furious with owner Peter Lim, who also owns Salford City, alongside Gary Neville and a group of Man Utd legends.Valencia were Champions League finalists in 2000 and 2001, losing to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich respectively.But a 3-2 home defeat to Las Palmas on left the club staring down the barrel at relegation.They now sit rock bottom of La Liga, two points off 17th-placed Leganes.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSAhead of the Las Palmas game, manager and club legend Ruben Baraja commented that the club would not be able to aim any higher than simply avoiding the drop this season.He said: “When we talked about our objectives, what we wanted was to stop the suffering, to improve in that sense. Huge title-deciding match suspended with stadium evacuated and second half played the following day with no fans“But the league campaign has brought us to this scenario. It is what it is.”Footage from the streets in Valencia showed a skip set on fire as the police attempted to disperse the post-match protest.Valencia now sit bottom of La LigaCredit: GettyThey were beaten 3-2 at home by Las PalmasCredit: GettyThe club hold long term plans to move away from their current stadiumCredit: Getty More

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      Hansi Flick has dived into Catalan culture to take Barcelona back to good old days but faces toughest week of his reign

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      HANSI FLICK’S start to life at Barcelona has been better than anyone could have expected.After another summer of financial acrobatics within the walls of the club in Catalonia, a pre-season with most of the star names absent and some key injuries it was hardly a settled start.Hansi Flick has dived into Catalan culture to take Barcelona back to the topCredit: GettyBarcelona boss Flick is facing two major clashes against Bayern Munich and Real MadridBut the German’s eagerness to embrace the culture of the club and its surrounding areas has seen the Spanish giants flourish.They are top of LaLiga, three points clear of Real Madrid, and have won all but one of their ten league games so far.But Flick’s flying start is about to face its litmus test. They host his former club Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday before visiting Real on Saturday evening.Weeks do not come much more taxing than that.Read More on FootballFlick returns to Bayern finally feeling at the top of his game once more following the brutal and bruising experience of becoming the first manager to ever be sacked in the history of the German national team.He took his time in choosing a next step, there were trips to watch Premier League games and a brief flirtation with the West Ham job in the summer. Things have worked out rather better, for both him and Barcelona.After the chaos of last season’s dance around the future of club legend Xavi, in Flick the club now have a manager in whom everyone appears completely invested.From players benefiting from a clear plan and strict fitness regime to a board blown away by his investment in the culture.Most read in Champions LeagueBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSFlick has dived head first into Barcelona and Catalonia, touring the area in the early weeks, attending an event on National Day of Catalonia and, first and foremost, embracing La Masia.Ten graduates from the club’s famed academy were involved in Sunday’s 5-1 win over Sevilla, with seven of them starting.Andres Iniesta breaks down in tears as Barcelona legend confirms retirement after one of finest careers everClub president, Joan Laporta, said: “Flick understood perfectly what our value is, our jewel: La Masia.”He travelled to meet Xavi at his home and involved former midfielder Thiago Alcantara in his staff for a short period early on.Flick even earned the seal of approval from Pep Guardiola during a pre-season game against Manchester City, drawn 2-2.Guardiola said: “They have done a lot of things well. The positional play of his team is extraordinary, I wish them all the best.”Lamine Yamal, now at the grand old age of 17 following his Euro 2024 heroics, continues to shine while Ansu Fati, following a dispiriting season on loan with Brighton, is back in the picture.Pedri is thriving and Gavi has now returned from his long injury lay-off.Improving Robert LewandowskiBut it is not just the youngsters Flick is getting the best out of. Robert Lewandowski, with whom Flick won the treble at Bayern in 2020, is playing a more advanced role and reaping the rewards once again.The Pole, 36, is LaLiga’s top scorer with 12 already – double that of Kylian Mbappe, Real’s marquee arrival.Having not had a number of his senior players during the summer, Flick had to work hard to blend what was a positive pre-season with the more senior players as they returned.It was another challenge which meant he did not foresee such a fine start.He said: “I always think positive but at the end it’s a project we started with the players from La Masia, because a lot of players were with the national teams at the Euros, it feels really good.READ MORE SUN STORIES”Because also the young players are doing great.”The players came back, it was the same and I think this is an important thing… That you have a good feeling and, step by step, the players get the confidence to play how we want to play, to do it on the pitch and at the end we have the quality.” More

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      Juventus forced to clarify after official account announces Arda Guler transfer from Real Madrid

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      JUVENTUS have been forced to clarify a tweet put out by the club’s official account announcing the signing of Arda Guler.Supporters of the Italian giants were thrilled when the club appeared to make the shock transfer of the Turkish superstar.Juventus have clarified a statement put out about Arda GulerCredit: INSTAGRAM @ardagulerThe Italian club appeared to announce the Turk as a new signingCredit: xGuler, 19, is viewed as one of the most promising youngsters in European football thanks to his performances at Fenerbahce.He earned a big-money move to Real Madrid and has slowly worked his way into the squad after overcoming some injury issues.The apparent transfer would have been a huge coup for Juventus if they had pulled it off.A tweet put out by the club’s official account claimed that the player had joined.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLA statement read: “Welcome to Juventus, Arda Guler.”The rising star of football is now part of the Juventus family.”Ready to make history on this new journey?”This was accompanied by a picture of the attacking midfielder walking on the tarmac at an airport.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSUnfortunately for fans of the Serie A outfit, the news is totally untrue.The club has revealed that the X account was hacked and confirmed that no deal for Guler has been done.Football royalty including Kaka, Seedorf and Rivaldo unite for legends match Guler has been struggled for game time at Real MadridCredit: GettyA club statement wrote: “Our Juventus English account has been compromised.”Please ignore the false information being published on this account.”We are working on the issue.”So far this season, Guler has made three appearances from the bench under manager Carlo Ancelotti.He remained on the bench during Real Madrid’s win over Celta Vigo on Saturday.He is a full international with TurkeyCredit: Getty More

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      Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta immediately lands new job after retiring from football aged 40

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      ANDRES INIESTA is already looking to land a new job after retiring from football.The 40-year-old announced he was hanging up his boots earlier this month after more than two decades as a professional.Andres Iniesta is already looking to make a return to football after retiringCredit: X/andresiniesta8The World Cup winner announced he was hanging up his boots earlier this monthCredit: X/andresiniesta8He ended his career in the United Arab Emirates with Emirates Club after a stint in Japan with Vissel Kobe.However, Iniesta is best remembered for his time with Barcelona after coming through the club’s famed La Masia academy.Less than a month on from retiring, though, the former midfielder is already looking to get back into the sport.Iniesta has joined a coaching course to begin his pathway into management.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe Spaniard is already studying on a UAE FA course in the Middle East.He shared an update with fans after beginning the course, sharing a series of snaps to social media.In a post on X, Iniesta wrote: “First days in the coaching course. Thank you @uaefa_ae for giving me the opportunity to start learning and training.”His move towards coaching comes after he emotionally announced he was ending his career.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSIniesta’s decision even prompted a statement from Barca’s bitter rivals Real Madrid honouring his career.During his time with the Blaugrana, Iniesta made 674 appearances, scoring 57 goals and providing 135 assists.Andres Iniesta ‘ends Gerrard/Lampard debate’ as he receives signed shirt from legend he has ‘always greatly admired’Andres Iniesta’s incredible careerHonoursBarcelona:La Liga x9, Champions League x4, Copa del Rey x6, Spanish Supercup x5, Uefa Super Cup x2, Club World Cup x3Vissel Kobe:J-League, Emperor’s Cup, Japanese Super CupInternational:World Cup – 2010, European Championship – 2008 and 2012Stats:Barcelona (2002 – 2018) – 674 appearances, 57 goalsVissel Kobe (2018 – 2023) – 134 appearances, 26 goalsEmirates Club (2023 – 2024) – 23 appearances, 5 goalsSpain (2006 – 2018) – 131 appearances, 13 goalsHe also won 32 major trophies for the club, including four Champions Leagues and nine LaLiga titles.At international level, Iniesta scored 14 goals in 131 caps for Spain.His most famous strike came in extra time of the 2010 World Cup final with the winning goal against the Netherlands.That triumph came in between winning the Euros in both 2008 and 2012.Iniesta is studying for his coaching badges with the UAE FACredit: X/andresiniesta8 More