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      ‘Not always easy’ – Hector Bellerin posts emotional message to Arsenal fans after joining Barcelona on free transfer

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      HECTOR BELLERIN has posted an emotional farewell message to Arsenal fans after rejoining childhood club Barcelona on a free transfer.Bellerin, 27, made a late switch back to the Nou Camp on transfer deadline day – 11 years after leaving Barca for Arsenal in 2011.

      Hector Bellerin has rejoined Barcelona on a free transfer after leaving ArsenalCredit: https://www.instagram.com/fcbarcelona/
      The Gunners agreed to terminate the right-back’s contract so he could complete his dream move.
      And the three-time FA Cup winner can now start afresh in his hometown after spending last season on loan with Copa del Rey winners Real Betis.
      Bellerin became a firm favourite at the Emirates after playing 239 times for Arsenal.
      And the four-time Spain international posted a tearful farewell message to supporters on social media after his Barcelona return was confirmed.
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      Bellerin, who is on a one-year contract at the Nou Camp, said: “Hello Gunners. Feels like it was only a couple of years ago when I touched down in London for the very first time.
      “From day one I truly felt at home and I’ve said time and time again how this city has shaped me into who I am, and how much I owe it.
      “It’s with a lot of sadness that today I say goodbye to this club, the fans, the staff, the players and our family all together.
      “There’s been highs, so high, and lows, so low, but I’ve enjoyed thoroughly every single experience I’ve lived with you Gunners.
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      Bellerin spent 11 years at Arsenal after joining them from Barcelona in 2011Credit: Getty
      “It’s not always been easy being an Arsenal player these past 11 years, but it’s always been an honour to carry the weight of this badge and defend it almost 250 times in front of you all.
      “I want to thank Arsene, Francis, the late Steve Rowley, Steve Bould, Neil Banfield, Unai Emery, Freddie Ljungberg and Mikel. 
      “Thank you to the staff who work tirelessly for us to have it all ready when we step onto the pitch.
      “Physios, conditioning coaches, doctors, chefs, kit men, cleaners, security, and everyone else who is a part of this family.
      “Thank you to the players who have made my time here unforgettable.
      Thank you for your continued support throughout all these yearsHector Bellerin
      “And most importantly, thank you Gunners, thank you for your continued support throughout all these years, for how supportive you were in the good and the bad, for how enjoyable it’s been to play in this beautiful stadium and for sharing together every single step of this journey of mine.
      “With the sadness of a goodbye, but the excitement of a new beginning, I say to you all THANK YOU. Once a Gunner, always a Gunner.”
      Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta paid tribute to Bellerin in a statement on Arsenal’s official website.
      He said: “We today say goodbye to Hector and we thank him so much for his loyalty and commitment to Arsenal Football Club. 
      “During his 11 years with Arsenal, Hector won three FA Cups and made nearly 250 appearances – such a huge contribution to the club. 
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      “I’m privileged to have played in the same squad as Hector for three seasons, wearing the Arsenal shirt and sharing many great moments on and off the football pitch together. 
      “We thank you Hector and wish you and your family all the best for your return to Barcelona.” More

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      Tottenham star Sergio Reguilon’s stunning Wag Marta Diaz dazzles at unveiling ceremony following Atletico Madrid loan

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      SERGIO REGUILON’S stunning Wag stole the show as he was unveiled at Atletico Madrid. The Tottenham left-back, 25, sealed a season-long loan at the Wanda Metropolitano after failing to shine in North London.
      Sergio Reguilon’s Wag Marta Diaz stunned at his Atletico Madrid unveilingCredit: Getty
      The Spurs left-back signed a season-long loan with AtletiCredit: Getty
      The YouTuber opted for a tight brown dressCredit: Rex
      Tottenham fans were sad to see her leave North LondonCredit: Rex
      He made 67 appearances across his two seasons with Spurs including 22 Premier League starts last term before the arrival of Ivan Perisic and Ryan Sessegnon’s rise.
      But as former Real man Reguilon posed with his new No3 shirt and spoke to the press, it was his gorgeous partner who grabbed the limelight.
      Marta Diaz looked glamorous as she opted for a tight-fitting dark brown dress with yellow heels.
      And Tottenham fans were furious to see her head back to Spain after just two years in North London.
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      One joked: “I hope we never sell Reguilon.”
      Another said: “We’d get a bigger transfer fee for Marta than we would for Reguilon.”
      A third added: “Big loss for us. Gonna miss Reguilon too.”
      And a final user quipped on a photo of the happy couple: “Congratulations @sergio_regui. Also well done on your move to Atletico.”
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      Spanish beauty Diaz has her own YouTube channel with more than 2million subscribers plus a whopping 3.2m Instagram followers.
      Her fans tune-in to her videos that feature her brother and include pranks, lifestyle tips and social media advice.
      The pair started dating in 2019 and went public online then were spotted together at the wedding of Sergio Ramos and Pilar Rubio.
      Reguilon and Diaz attended the wedding of Sergio Ramos and Pilar Rubio togetherCredit: Getty
      Reguilon began dating Diaz in 2019Credit: Instagram
      Astonishingly, Diaz has 2m subscribers on YouTube and more than 3m Instagram followersCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

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      Frenkie de Jong saga finally over with Man Utd and Chelsea snubbed by Barcelona midfielder who ‘never wavered’ on choice

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      THE Frenkie de Jong transfer saga is finally over – with the Barcelona midfielder staying put. The Dutchman, 25, was a high priority on the transfer wish lists for Manchester United and Chelsea throughout the summer.
      Frenkie de Jong will be staying put at Barcelona after a transfer sagaCredit: Getty
      Barcelona were open to selling the ex-Ajax man with a fee of around £73million agreed with the Red Devils and a £350,000-a-week contract on the table.
      However, De Jong snubbed United because he did not want to sign for the Europa League club while Chelsea, despite being able to offer Champions League football, were also unable to secure a deal.
      As reported by Fabrizio Romano, De Jong “never changed his mind” on his desire to stay at the Nou Camp.
      The 44-cap Netherlands international joined Barca in 2019 for £65m and expressed his delight at playing for his dream club.
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      However, the LaLiga giants – who already owe him millions in deferred wages – slapped him with an ultimatum to either leave or take a major pay cut.
      But despite the financial problems, Barcelona and De Jong appear to have repaired the damage to the relationship.
      The star, under contract until 2026, has featured in all three league games so far this season – albeit starting just once.
      Barca face Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Viktoria Plzen in a brutal Champions League group.
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      After it became clear he would miss out on De Jong, new Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag turned his attention to Barca’s rival Real Madrid and splashed up to £70m on Casemiro to bolster his midfield instead.
      Christian Eriksen has also arrived at Old Trafford and Chelsea signed Carney Chukwuemeka.
      Ross Barkley was released while Billy Gilmour is poised for a £9m transfer to Brighton, leaving Thomas Tuchel short on midfield options.
      But reports suggest Denis Zakaria is having a medical in Turin over a loan move from Juventus. More

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      Martin Braithwaite brutally axed by Barcelona and shipped to Espanyol with striker’s bizarre spell at Nou Camp ended

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      BARCELONA have released Martin Braithwaite just hours before the transfer window slams shut. It means the 31-year-old’s unusual spell at the Catalan giants comes to an end as he joins cross-city rivals Espanyol.
      Martin Braithwaite had fallen out of favour at Barcelona and has joined EspanyolCredit: AFP
      The striker who is also capable of playing on the wing was initially brought to the club in February 2020 after they were allowed to sign a player outside the transfer window on emergency circumstances.
      Ousmane Dembele picked up a long-term injury so an exception was made granting Barca a transfer and they purchased Braithwaite from LaLiga rivals Leganes for £15million.
      The Danish international signed a four-year contract at the club and many deemed the transfer strange after he failed to impress at Middlesbrough before.
      He went on to play 58 times for Barcelona scoring on ten occasions.
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      His manager Xavi has been desperate to get rid of him this summer but there was no takers.
      Barcelona wanted him to mutually terminate his contract to help ease the pressure on them amid financial difficulties and so they could meet the salary limits set by LaLiga but Braithwaite refused.
      Some claimed he held the club to ransom and he reportedly demanded a pay-off worth £4million to quit the team.
      The stand-off continued with Braithwaite allegedly wanting his £98,000-a-week contract paid to him in full despite being deemed surplus to requirements.
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      Reports from the Daily Mail claimed Barcelona were only willing to give him a year’s salary and that the striker had an offer on the table from Real Mallorca.
      Braithwaite may not be the only attacker leaving the Nou Camp on deadline day.
      Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is set to join Chelsea in a deal that sees Marcos Alonso head in the opposite direction. More

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      Kenedy finally set to leave Chelsea on permanent transfer after seven years as he closes in on Real Valladolid move

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      CHELSEA star Kenedy is on the verge of leaving the club on a permanent basis to sign for Real Valladolid, according to reports.The Brazilian has been spotted by Spanish outlet Marca arriving in Valladolid ahead of his transfer.
      Kenedy was training with the Chelsea first-team in pre-seasonCredit: Getty
      They claim that a deal has been agreed between Chelsea and the LaLiga side but personal terms still need to be agreed.
      Fran Sanchez, their sporting director, was reportedly in London recently to help secure the transfer.
      It will mean Kenedy’s long-term stay at Chelsea is over, he has been on their books for seven years after arriving for a fee of £6.3million from Fluminense.
      The 26-year-old made just 30 appearances for the Blues during that period scoring three goals.
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      He has spent most of his time away on loan having spells at Watford and Newcastle.
      The player is capable of playing at left-back or on the left-wing and already has LaLiga experience having been loaned out to Getafe and Granada previously.
      In total he has gone on loan five times – last season he was back in his homeland playing for Flamengo.
      Real Valladolid are one of the newly promoted side’s in Spain’s top flight and in their most recent game they were hammered by Barcelona 4-0.
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      The club’s majority owner is footballing legend Ronaldo.
      Kenedy is not the only player leaving Stamford Bridge today with Dujon Sterling set to join Stoke on a short-term deal.
      Meanwhile, Marcos Alonso could be set to join Barcelona as part of the transfer that brings Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Chelsea. More

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      Memphis Depay emerges as shock Chelsea transfer target after Man Utd links with Barcelona ready to rip up contract

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      MEMPHIS DEPAY has emerged as a shock transfer target for Chelsea, according to reports. The forward is ready to be let go by Barcelona if a deal can be struck in the next few hours.
      Chelsea could be in for a shock move for Memphis Depay from BarcelonaCredit: AP
      As reported by Fabrizio Romano, the Blues have emerged as late contenders to land the Dutch star.
      And Barca will rip up his contract and allow him to leave for free if personal terms can be agreed with Chelsea.
      Depay, 28, is surplus to requirements at the Nou Camp following the arrivals of Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha this summer.
      And with the club in financial ruin, getting Depay off the wage bill would be a welcome boost.
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      Depay scored 12 goals in 28 LaLiga games in his first season but has been an unused sub in all three matches so far this term.
      However, there are just a few hours to go until the 11pm deadline.
      It is said Depay – linked with a free transfer to Juventus or even a shock return to Manchester United earlier in the window – put in a request to leave the club on Wednesday.
      However, Barcelona will only sanction the termination of his contract if he can strike a deal with Chelsea in time as Thomas Tuchel looks to bolster his attack.
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      But Romano adds there are no advanced talks taking place at this stage.
      Chelsea’s primary focus is securing Depay’s Barcelona team-mate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
      It is understood a £12million fee plus Marcos Alonso is in place to land the former Arsenal captain on a two-year deal with an option of a third.
      Aubameyang will land in London around 5pm to complete the final details of his Stamford Bridge switch, just seven months after being shipped out by Mikel Arteta at the Emirates. More

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      Inaki Williams’ astonishing LaLiga record of playing 236 consecutive matches set to cruelly come to an end

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      INAKI WILLIAMS’ astonishing record of playing 263 consecutive LaLiga matches has come to a cruel end.That’s after the Spanish striker suffered a devastating ankle injury this week.
      Inaki Williams’ consecutive appearance record has come to an end after suffering an injuryCredit: Getty
      Williams, 28, has long been regarded as an Athletic Bilbao legend after joining the club in 2012.
      But he further endeared himself to fans when he smashed the record for the most consecutive Spanish league appearances in October 2021.
      The fact that the previous record of 202 belonged to Juanan Larranaga of fierce Basque rivals Real Sociedad made Williams even more popular with Bilbao supporters.
      And the one-time Spain international continued to rack up the games as he made it SIX YEARS without missing a league match in April.
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      Williams reached 263 LaLiga games straight when he started for Bilbao in Monday’s 4-0 win at Cadiz.
      The former Manchester United target, who has also been linked with a Premier League move to Liverpool, opened the scoring after 24 minutes.

      But disaster struck later on when he went down injured and was forced to come off.
      Bilbao have now confirmed that Williams has suffered a sprained ankle ligament.
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      And if the damage is significant, he could be sidelined for several months.
      It brings Williams’ record run in the side to a staggering halt.
      But with his contract running until 2028, he has plenty of time to make another attempt and break his own incredible record.
      Williams has made a total of 343 appearances for Bilbao, scoring 74 goals in the process.
      He was part of last year’s Spanish Super Cup win, and has also finished as a runner-up in the Copa del Rey twice. More

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      Aubameyang breaks silence after horror robbery and says ‘we are no longer safe in our own house’

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      PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG has broken his silence after he was attacked by burglars at his home at the weekend. The Barcelona forward was smashed on the chin with an iron bar while trying to protect his wife and two children from the robbers.
      Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang took to Instagram to reveal the details of the violent attack on his homeCredit: Getty
      Aubameyang and wife Alysha were said to have been tied up by the intrudersCredit: Instagram / @auba
      And now he has taken to social media to reveal they are “no longer safe in our own house”.
      Aubameyang wrote on Instagram: “Hey guys, thanks a lot for all the messages.
      “On Sunday night, some violent cowards broke into our home and threatened my family and my children, just to steal some stuff.
      “They injured my jaw but I will recover in no time and thank God no one else was physically harmed.
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      “The feeling that we are no longer safe in our own house is hard to understand and describe, but as a family, we will overcome this and stand stronger than ever.
      “Thanks for all the support, it really means a lot to us.”
      Four intruders climbed into the back garden before threatening Aubameyang and his family.
      The forward and his wife, Alysha Behague, were reportedly handcuffed and tied up in front of their kids Curtys, 11, and Pierre, six, by the burglars.
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      Alysha, 36, is also claimed to have been hit over the head during the break-in at their home in Castelldefels, near Barcelona.
      They forced Alysha to open a safe full of valuables including jewellery before fleeing in a white Audi A3, according to police sources reported by El Pais.
      It was reported Aubameyang may even have fractured his jaw and could potentially face surgery.
      Either way, he will need a few weeks to recover physically and mentally from the ordeal.
      And that has thrown doubt over his transfer to Chelsea.
      The Blues were in talks with Barcelona over securing a transfer on a one-year deal for the former Arsenal captain who is also a target for Manchester United – although he wants two years.
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      However, the major sticking point could still be securing a transfer fee with cash-strapped Barca wanting maximum money for the man who joined in January.
      Thomas Tuchel, who worked with Auba at Borussia Dortmund, is desperate to bring in a new striker and talks are said to be ongoing. More