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      Why does Real Betis star Borja Iglesias paint his nails?

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      REAL BETIS forward Borja Iglesias will be licking his lips as his side host a wounded Manchester United in the Europa League – and eagle-eyed fans have noticed a change in his appearanceIglesias has ten goals in La Liga this season and will be hoping to take advantage of the United backline’s recent shambolic performance at Anfield.
      Borja Iglesias is set to lead Real Betis’ front line against Manchester UnitedCredit: Getty
      Who is Borja Iglesias?
      The 6ft 2in striker was born in Santiago de Compostela in Spain in January 1993.
      He has played all of his professional playing career in the Spanish leagues.
      Borja Iglesias has scored 51 goals in the Spanish top flight, most of those goals playing in the colours of current side Real Betis.
      He has represented Spain just once in a 2-1 loss to Switzerland at the Nations League in 2022.
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      Why does Borja Iglesias paint his nails?
      The Spanish striker started painting his nails before matches back in June 2020.
      Iglesias paints his nails in an act of solidarity
      The 30-year-old initially started doing it as an act of solidarity when the Black Lives Matter protests began in 2020.
      He later painted his nails multicoloured as the message also became about fighting homophobia as well as racism.
      Borja Iglesias has also openly spoken about mental health issues and the obstacles he has had to overcome in his life.
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      Iglesias is also a big fan of Marcus Rashford’s work off the pitch, as he has often used his platform to give visibility to societal issues.
      The Spaniard believes football should be responsible to “create a safe space” and hopes younger generations bring a “more open mentality.” More

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      Reason behind Barcelona’s new shirt logos for El Clasico having already worn Drake’s Owl symbol this season

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      BARCELONA will reportedly feature the logo of Spanish singer Rosalia in the El Clasico against Real Madrid this month.The Catalonian side have already featured Drake’s owl symbol on their shirt this season as part of their agreement with Spotify.
      Barcelona have already had Drake’s logo on their shirt this seasonCredit: Getty
      The club could now have Rosalia’s logo on their shirtCredit: The Mega Agency
      This is what the shirt could look like with the Spanish singer’s logoCredit: SPORT
      Spotify will be removed as the shirt sponsor for the match and will be replaced with Rosalia’s logo, according to Catalan radio station Rac 1.
      The image from her third album – Motomami – is believed to be the design for the shirt.
      It has been chosen to mark the one-year anniversary of its release.
      She has won multiple awards in her career including two Grammys and eight Latin Grammys.
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      The 30-year-old singer has also been named as Spain’s most influential woman on two occasions by Forbes.
      Barcelona have said that the agreement with the music streaming service is to help create “innovative experiences for football fans” as well as help the club “reach new audiences though music”.
      Drake was given the treatment when he became the first artist to reach 50 billion streams of his songs on the platform.
      His owl logo was printed on the club’s shirts for the first El Clasico of the season back in October.
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      Barcelona lost the game 3-1 as Real Madrid dominated the game at the Santiago Bernabeu.
      The agreement between the club and Spotify started last June and will run for the next four years.
      As part of the deal, the club’s iconic stadium was renamed the Spotify Camp Nou.
      Rosalia has twice been named Spain’s most influential womanCredit: The Mega Agency
      Barcelona’s stadium was renamed the Spotify Camp Nou as part of the dealCredit: Alamy More

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      Man Utd and Arsenal transfer target Ansu Fati ‘offered to half of Europe by Jorge Mendes’ as Barcelona exit draws nearer

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      BARCELONA star Ansu Fati has allegedly been offered to “half of Europe” by his agent Jorge Mendes.We reported last month how a trio of Premier League clubs had allegedly been in contact with the ace over a potential summer transfer.
      Clubs chasing Ansu Fati have received a boost with a fresh report from SpainCredit: Getty
      Super-agent Jorge Mendes has allegedly offered him to ‘half of Europe’Credit: Reuters
      The trio of Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool are all circling for Fati, whose current deal contains a world record €1billion (£898million) release clause.
      The Spanish international forward, 20, has a contract at Barcelona until 2027.
      However, their president Joan Laporta has announced that he wants to sign another forward this summer but one will have to depart.
      With Robert Lewandowski and Ousmane Dembele being first-choice, then that would leave Fati, Raphinha or Ferran Torres as the likely ones to be sold.
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      Fati announced a fortnight ago that he wanted to stay at the Nou Camp – but Catalan journalist Joan Fontes claims that the youngster could be sold.
      He says that the ace feels he should have a bigger role at Barcelona, only his manager Xavi Hernandez disagrees.
      And that has led to Ansu’s agent Mendes offering his client to “half of Europe”’ as he tries to find him a new club.
      Fati was considered the next rising star when he made his senior debut at the tender age of 17 in 2020.
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      However, persistent knee problems have hampered Fati’s development.
      He has 18 goals in 63 top-flight appearances for the club in total since his breakthrough.
      He has played over 30 times this season, but only ten of those have been starts. More

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      Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta wanted by Real Madrid in shock swoop with Carlo Ancelotti under pressure amid La Liga woes

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      REAL MADRID are considering a move to make Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta their next manager, according to reports.Current manager Carlo Ancelotti is said to be under pressure despite winning LaLiga and the Champions League last season.
      Real Madrid are interested in appointing Mikel ArtetaCredit: Alamy
      Real Madrid President Sergio Perez is said to have been left frustrated by some of Carlo Ancelotti’s recent decisionsCredit: AP
      His side trail league leaders Barcelona by nine points and suffered defeat to Xavi’s side in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg earlier this month.
      President Sergio Perez was believed to be angered by that result and he has reportedly been left frustrated by some of Ancelotti’s decisions in recent weeks.
      According to Spanish outlet Blanca Remontada, Perez is considering replacing the Italian.
      And he reportedly likes the look of Arteta, who has taken Arsenal to the top of the Premier League.
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      However the Spaniard is tied to the club until 2025 after penning a contract last summer.
      He appears to be loving life at The Emirates and will likely be keen to see through his project until he adds another trophy to his collection.
      After agreeing a new deal Arteta said: “I’m excited, grateful and really, really happy today.
      “When I spoke to Josh [Kroenke] he could see the club at the same point and he wanted to take the club the way I wanted to do it.
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      “So everything that he’s said, and that Stan [Kroenke] has said when I’ve been together with both of them, they’ve always delivered.
      “We want to take the club to the next level and to compete really with the top teams. In order to do that, we have to be playing in the Champions League.
      “We have to be able to evolve the team, improve our players, improve all departments, generate even more connection with our fans, improve the atmosphere at the Emirates, be able to recruit top, top talent and the best people for this club to drive this project to that level.” More

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      Eden Hazard ‘now Real Madrid’s most expensive transfer ever as add-on triggered with ex-Chelsea ace to see out contract’

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      EDEN HAZARD is now Real Madrid’s most expensive player ever after triggering add-ons to overtake Gareth Bale’s £86million move from Tottenham in 2013.The Belgian penned a five-year deal with Los Blancos when he joined from Chelsea in 2019.
      Eden Hazard has largely been limited to the bench this seasonCredit: Rex
      Madrid pledged to pay the Blues a similar fee for Hazard that they paid for Bale, with potential add-ons possibly taking the fee as high as £142m.
      Due to his underwhelming time at Santiago Bernabeu he has not hit all of the clauses.
      But as he intends to stay until the end of his contract, The Athletic revealed that his fee has comfortably surpassed the £86m paid for Bale.
      Hazard has not played for Carlo Ancelotti’s side in over two months.
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      And he hasn’t featured in a LaLiga match since September.
      Despite his lack of game time, Hazard reportedly made clear in meetings with the club last month that he intends to stay and honour his contract.
      The 126-cap star is the highest-paid player at Real Madrid, and has settled well in the Spanish capital.
      His son Leo, 10, has even joined the club’s academy.
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      The Belgian last played in a Copa del Rey tie back in JanuaryCredit: Getty
      Hazard wants to stay in Madrid, despite being upset by the club’s repeated attempts to sell him dating back two years.
      It’s claimed that he is a popular dressing room figure, although many of his team-mates don’t believe that he can contribute much on the pitch any longer – having been dogged by injuries in recent seasons.
      He has largely been available this term, but shunned by boss Ancelotti – with whom his relationship is believed to be strained.
      Hazard has been an unused substitute 18 times in LaLiga this term.
      His most recent appearance came on January 3, when he played 67 minutes against fourth-tier Cacereno in the Copa del Rey.
      He last played in LaLiga on September 11 in a 4-1 win over RCD Mallorca.
      In total he has made seven appearances this season, scoring once – in a Champions League victory over Celtic.
      He has played just 73 times in nearly four years since leaving Chelsea, scoring only seven times.
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      Asked about his No7 last week, Ancelotti said: “Hazard is fine. He is training and he wants to have minutes. He can have them in the next games.”
      Hazard has been an unused substitute in the two matches that have followed.
      Hazard, 32, reportedly doesn’t have a strong relationship with Carlo AncelottiCredit: AFP More

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      Man Utd in advanced talks with Diogo Dalot over new long-term contract amid Barcelona and Real Madrid transfer interest

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      MANCHESTER UNITED are in advanced talks with Diogo Dalot over a new long-term deal.The Portuguese right-back has been a consistent figure since the arrival of Erik ten Hag in the summer – starting 17 Premier League games and six Europa League outings.
      Diogo Dalot is in talks over extending his stay at Man UtdCredit: Getty
      Signed by Jose Mourinho in 2018 from Porto for £19m, Dalot’s contract was initially set to run out this summer before United triggered a one-year extension before Christmas.
      And now, SunSport understands the Red Devils are keen to tie the 23-year-old down for several more years after impressing this campaign.
      United are also wary of interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona, who are admirers of Dalot and are ready to pounce should an agreement on a new deal fall flat.
      His future at Old Trafford was not always as clear cut, spending the 2020/21 season on loan at AC Milan after falling out of favour under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
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      But he now appears to be first choice at right-back in Ten Hag’s eyes, overtaking team-mate Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
      Dalot was chosen to start their 2-0 Carabao Cup final victory against Newcastle last month, and was only taken off at half time for Wan-Bissaka because he was on a booking and up against Allan Saint-Maximin.
      And speaking in January about his stay at United, Dalot explained: “We are in a position to say that we are negotiating and seeing how both parties will benefit.
      “But it is no secret that I am happy to be here, so we will see how things go. 
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      “I love this club and I love to play for this club. Progressively we are in a good direction as a team.
      “For me, this is the most important part and hopefully individually I can continue to help the team as I am doing.” More

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      Chelsea ‘looking to poach Frenkie de Jong transfer from under Man Utd’s noses in £70m summer swoop from Barcelona’

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      CHELSEA are hoping to poach Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong from under Manchester United’s noses, according to reports. The Blues are planning to launch a bid worth £70million to prize him away from the Nou Camp.
      Man Utd and Chelsea could be set to battle it out for Frenkie de JongCredit: Alamy
      De Jong, 25, wants to stay at Barca but could be forced out due to the club’s financial situation.
      Reports suggest that club president Joan Laporta and manager Xavi see selling the midfielder as one of the ways to solve their off-field problems.
      Barcelona may not be able to sign players this summer with LaLiga effectively putting a transfer ban on them until they can balance the books.
      The league’s chief Javier Tebas has publicly called for the club to reduce their spending and suggested they may have to make cuts of £178million.
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      He said: “They have to reduce their investment in players and we have encouraged them to sell players because for every amount they raise in sales they can spend 40 per cent of that.”
      Man Utd and Chelsea were both in the hunt for De Jong last summer.
      The Red Devils saw multiple bids fail in landing him and he the player expressed his desire to fight for his place at the club.
      United boss Erik ten Hag worked with De Jong at Ajax and he is again thought to be interested in going back in for him at the end of the season.
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      The Dutchman is keen to build his team around the midfield pairing of his compatriot and Casemiro.
      Meanwhile, Chelsea also had a £67.6m bid knocked back prior to the start of the season.
      And despite spending £106m on Enzo Fernandez in January, their interest in De Jong is not over. More

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      Jude Bellingham’s dad ‘holds transfer meeting in London hotel’ just hours before Dortmund’s crunch clash with Chelsea

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      JUDE BELLINGHAM’S father is allegedly holding talks with Real Madrid today over a stunning transfer move.Bellingham, 19, is one of the most in-demand teenagers in world football after his exploits at the World Cup and for Borussia Dortmund.
      Jude Bellingham is due to face Chelsea with Dortmund tonightCredit: PA
      The former Birmingham ace is back on these shores today for the second-leg of the Champions League last-16 clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
      Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City have all been linked with the ex-Birmingham City academy player.
      We reported last month how Newcastle had now joined the transfer chase, while Real Madrid have also held a heavy interest in signing the teenage sensation.
      Los Blancos have been trying to work on a deal for some time with their chief scout Juni Calafat already “taking care of relations” with Bellingham’s father, Mark, who manages his son’s career.

      But there was a growing feeling that they “are becoming resigned to the fact that the financial muscle of the Premier League is almost unbeatable”.
      However, a fresh report has now claimed that talks are happening TODAY between the two camps.
      Foot Mercato say: “According to our information, a meeting is indeed underway between the father of the England international and Juni Calafat, director of international football for Real Madrid, and responsible for recruiting young players on a global scale.”
      The French publication added that the “meeting is at the Chelsea Harbor hotel in London” and that Madrid “will present its project for the playmaker” in it.
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      Los Blancos are allegedly preparing for the departure of midfield veterans Toni Kroos and Luka Modric at the end of the season.
      And they appear to have clearly identified Bellingham as their top target.
      The Spanish champs can’t afford the reported £135m price-tag, having already committed to a £60m deal for 16-year-old Brazilian winger Endrick.
      But we previously reported how Real are instead plotting to bid a tasty £88m fee while also handing over Eduardo Camavinga in exchange. More