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      Philippe Coutinho’s agent drops Liverpool return transfer hint and says Reds are ‘very deeply’ in Barcelona ace’s heart

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      PHILIPPE COUTINHO’S agent has hinted at a return to Anfield after revealing his client still has Liverpool ‘very deeply’ in his heart.It comes amid speculation his former club are interested in re-signing the Brazilian.
      Philippe Coutinho still has Liverpool ‘very deeply’ in his heartCredit: Getty
      And Coutinho’s agent Kia Joorabchian hinted the playmaker would not rule out returning to Liverpool, as he still values the club.
      Joorabchian told Sky Sports: “I think Liverpool lies very, very deeply in his heart, he was a big fan of them throughout the [last] campaign.
      “He was wishing for them to win the title and he has a very strong affinity there so I think it will be very difficult for him to go to a direct competitor of Liverpool from a personal standpoint.”
      Coutinho left for Barcelona in 2018 for a deal that totalled £145million.
      But the versatile forward has found life in Spain hard and in 2019 spent a year on loan with Bayern Munich.
      He then returned to the Nou Camp and is heading into his second season since returning from Germany.

      Coutinho was given a second chance at Barca by new boss Ronald Koeman when the Dutchman arrived in 2020.
      But the former Liverpool star only managed 14 games amid ongoing injury problems which has seen him miss the start of this campaign.
      With Barca also heavily in debt – contributing to the loss of Lionel Messi to PSG on a free – Coutinho’s future continues to remain in doubt.
      Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham have all been linked with him before, but Jurgen Klopp has previously distanced himself from a move.
      Klopp told Pure Football Podcast last year: “Phil was our boy for a long time. We respect him a lot and wish him all the best.
      “That’s how football should be. That’s the most important thing the club showed in that moment.”
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      Man City ready to let Aymeric Laporte leave if £60m transfer fee is met as Real Madrid and Juventus eye defender

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      MANCHESTER CITY are ready to let Aymeric Laporte leave but only if their £60million valuation is met, according to reports The defender has seen his game time slashed after the signing of Ruben Dias last summer and the emergence of John Stones.
      Man City will let Aymeric Laporte leave if their £60m valuation is met, reports sayCredit: Getty
      And according to The Mail, the Premier League champions have agreed not to prevent Laporte from leaving.
      But they will demand £3m more than the £57m they paid Athletic Bilbao in 2018 when they signed the centre-back.
      It is claimed Real Madrid and Juvenuts are among the clubs interested in signing him.
      The centre-half spent six years in Bilbao, which qualified him to play for Spain as he switched international allegiances from France.
      The 27-year-old played in all six of Spain’s European Championship matches this summer.
      But they were knocked out on penalties by eventual winners Italy in the semi-finals.

      Heading into the delayed tournament, Laporte had played only 16 league games as manager Pep Guardiola opted to partner Dias and Stones.
      Stones’ turnaround in form was so impressive, and it earned him a bumper new five-year deal worth a reported £250,000-per-week.
      But the defender, who played in all of England’s Euros matches, has missed City’s opening two matches this season.
      The Premier League champions lost the season curtain raiser against Leicester in the Community Shield.
      And they were then beaten by Tottenham in their first game of the domestic season and play recently promoted Norwich today.
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      Cristiano Ronaldo wanted Man Utd transfer before Sir Alex Ferguson’s shock retirement that ended Bale deal

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO agreed a remarkable transfer back to Manchester United in 2013 before Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement halted those plans.United legend Patrice Evra revealed Sir Alex wanted to re-sign Ronaldo, who had moved to Real Madrid in 2009 in a then-record £80million deal.
      Sir Alex Ferguson wanted to sign Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in 2013
      Part of Ferguson’s plans to win the Champions League also involved the transfer of Gareth Bale, who at the time was at Tottenham.
      But then Ferguson – who had just won the Premier League title – was forced to confirm to his players that he would in fact be retiring.
      And according to Evra, Ronaldo had told him he wanted to return to United before Sir Alex walked away from management.
      He said on the UTD Podcast: “I remember there was a lot of media saying Ferguson will maybe retire next year, and he said, ‘Patrice, I will never retire. I will be here another 10 years’.
      “He then said: ‘My target is I’m 99 per cent sure we will have Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. I just need these two players to win the Champions League again. Ninety-nine per cent.’

      “And to be fair, when I speak with Cristiano, I ask him and he said yes to the boss, and was coming to join United. He told me this.”
      But as Sir Alex retired, Ronaldo would stay at Madrid with Bale joining him in the Spanish capital, breaking the transfer record in an £85m move.
      Evra said Ferguson’s retirement was the hardest moment in his career, and revealed the Scot had to apologise to Robin van Persie and Shinji Kagawa for leaving just a season after signing the pair.
      He said: “When we arrived at Carrington, I see all those cameras and I was like: ‘Wow, someone has done something wrong. Maybe a player is the story again! Someone has done something wrong, we are in trouble.’

      “But we arrived and people said, ‘Guys, you have to stay in the dressing room because the boss wants to have a chat’. And when the boss came into the dressing room to talk to everyone, it’s never good news.
      “He came, and he said, ‘I’m really sorry. Some people have said that I’m going to retire even before I say it myself. That’s why you saw all those cameras. But I will retire because my wife needs me’.
      “He apologised to Van Persie, he apologised to Shinji, because he just brought them. He apologised to them especially.”
      Patrice Evra played for Sir Alex between 2006 and 2014Credit: EPA
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      Chelsea forgotten man Matt Miazga seals fifth loan spell away from Stamford Bridge with Alaves

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      USA international Matt Miazga has once again been sent out on loan by Stamford Bridge bosses. The 26-year-old defender will spend the 2021/22 season on loan with La Liga side Alaves at the Vitoria-Gasteiz stadium.
      Miazga had featured for Chelsea in pre-season but is not seen as part of the first team set-upCredit: Getty
      The USA international has previously stated his desire to leave the Blues on a permanent deal, but he recently put pen to paper on a deal at Stamford Bridge before heading out on yet another loan spell.
      It’s the FIFTH time Miazga has been shipped out on loan, with the centre-back playing just two games for Chelsea since joining in January 2016.
      He was sent on loan to Chelsea’s feeder club Vitesse in the Dutch Eredivisie just six months after arriving in South-West London in a reported £3.5million deal from New York Red Bulls.
      Miazga’s only two games for the Blues actually came before his first loan spell, with the American playing twice for Chelsea in the Premier League in April 2016 against Aston Villa and Swansea.
      Since then he’s had loan spells all over Europe, spending time in France with Nantes, a season in the Championship with Reading, time with Belgian side Anderlecht and now Spanish club Alaves.
      During his first loan move Miazga spent two seasons on loan with Vitesse, helping the side win the Dutch Cup in 2017.

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      In total he made 55 appearances for the Dutch side.
      His following loan spell was not as successful, with Miazga joining Ligue 1 side Nantes in the summer of 2018.
      But he played just eight times for the French side before returning to London.
      Miazga spent the second half of the 2018/19 season on loan at Reading, with impressive performances at the Madjeski leading to another loan move to the Championship club for the 2019/20 season.
      Then Miazga jetted off to Belgium, spending last season with Anderlecht, for whom he played for 33 times.

      He has also been capped 22 times by the USA men’s national team.
      But with the likes of Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger in the squad, and Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen as back-up, first team action for Miazga is hard to come by.
      Jules Kounde has also been heavily linked with a move from Sevilla to Stamford Bridge, with Miazga seemingly not in Thomas Tuchel’s plans at the club.

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      Arsenal set to sign Martin Odegaard in £34m deal from Real Madrid after midfielder impressed on loan last season

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      ARSENAL are set to sign Martin Odegaard for £34million from Real Madrid, according to reports.The Gunners have been pursuing the Norwegian all summer after he impressed on loan last season.
      Arsenal have agreed to sign Martin Odegaard from Real Madrid for £34mCredit: PA
      And they have finally agreed a permanent deal for the 22-year-old, according to Fabrizio Romano.
      The midfielder has reportedly agreed a five-year contract and is already in London for a medical.
      Romano tweeted: “Martin Odegaard to Arsenal, here we go and deal confirmed!
      “Permanent move – bit less than €40m to Real Madrid. Personal terms already agreed on five years contract.
      “Edu and Arteta wanted Odegaard as only priority since June, strategy was correct… and now, done deal.”
      Odegaard spent last season on loan at the Emirates and put in some impressive performances.

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      But it appeared he hadn’t done enough for Arsenal to push for a permanent deal, and he returned to Real Madrid.
      Odegaard did not train with his Real team-mates on Tuesday as he looked to thrash out his future.
      The midfielder scored two goals in 20 appearances under Gunners boss Mikel Arteta last season.
      But Arsenal were dealt a blow when it looked like Madrid were set to keep hold of him as cover for the injured Toni Kroos.
      The Gunners were able to fund the deal after they sold Joe Willock to Newcastle for £25m.
      ⚽ Read our Arsenal live blog for the latest news and transfer gossip from The Emirates
      Odegaard’s agent landed in London on Tuesday to finalise the move.
      He had two years left on his Real contract but it gradually became apparent he did not have a future under new boss Carlo Ancelotti.
      The final nail in the coffin was when he was left without a squad number as his No 21 shirt was handed to Rodrygo.

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      How Chelsea could make £88m to fund Jules Kounde transfer by flogging six outcasts including Barkley and Drinkwater

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      CHELSEA remain locked in talks with Sevilla to bring centre-back Jules Kounde to Stamford Bridge.The 22-year-old is understood to be a serious target for Thomas Tuchel as he looks to bolster his backline.
      Chelsea could sell six fringe players in order to fund a move to sign top target Jules Kounde
      But having forked out £97.5million to bring Romelu Lukaku back to West London, the Blues may need to offload players in order to sign the French defender.
      According to transfermarkt, the Champions League holders could rake in as much as £88million by offloading six fringe players who are not in Tuchel’s plans.
      But that is only if Chelsea sell them at their current transfer value.
      Here SunSport takes a look at the six players that could be sold in order to fund a move to sign Kounde.
      Kurt Zouma – £29m
      Valued at £29m, the French centre-back, 26, chipped in with five goals in 36 games for Chelsea last season.
      But he has been deemed as surplus to requirements by Tuchel, with the club now looking to offload him seven years after he was signed.
      West Ham were understood to be keen to secure his services, but have been put off by his £120,000-a-week wage demands.
      French defender Kurt Zouma has been linked with a move away this monthCredit: Getty

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      Ross Barkley – £18m
      The former Everton playmaker has reportedly been told to find a new club by Chelsea after being stripped of his squad number.
      Barkley, 27, spent last campaign on loan at Aston Villa where he scored three goals in 24 games.
      He appeared in Chelsea’s 13-0 friendly win against National League side Weymouth on Sunday where he grabbed himself a hat-trick.
      Ross Barkley has been deemed as surplus to requirements by German gaffer Thomas TuchelCredit: Getty
      Tiemoue Bakayoko – £18m
      The French defensive midfielder hasn’t featured in an official game for Chelsea since the 2017-18 season.
      He has spent the last three years on loan at AC Milan, Monaco and Napoli.
      And following his impressive performances in Naples last season, Lyon are claimed to be ready to bring the player back to Ligue 1.
      Tiemoue Bakayoko featured in pre-season for Chelsea, but is still understood to not be in Tuchel’s plansCredit: AFP
      Emerson Palmieri – £13m
      The Italy international is behind Ben Chilwell and Marcos Alonso in the pecking order at Chelsea.
      And the left-back has hinted he could soon be on his way out after declaring he wishes to play regular football.
      He told ESPN Brasil: “I know it’s not easy, but I’m hungry to play. I want to play, I know I can be out on the pitch, I’ve proved that.”
      Before adding: “I will really choose the best option. If it’s to stay at Chelsea, if it happens to Napoli or another team.”
      Emerson Palmieri is behind Ben Chilwell and Marcos Alonso in the pecking orderCredit: Getty
      Davide Zappacosta – £7m
      The Italian right-back has spent the last two seasons on loan at Roma and Genoa respectively.
      And it has been claimed that he is nearing another exit away from Chelsea with Serie A clubs keen to sign him.
      He impressed at Genoa last term, where he chipped in with four goals and two assists from his 25 outings.
      Davide Zappacosta has spent the last two seasons on loan in his native ItalyCredit: Getty

      Danny Drinkwater – £3m
      The 31-year-old was signed for a whopping £35million from Leicester in 2017, but he has been limited to just 23 games in all competitions.
      His last appearance came in the 2018 Community Shield defeat against Manchester City.
      And after failed loan spells as Burnley, Villa and Turkish outfit Kasimpasa, it remains to be seen if he will finally depart Chelsea on a permanent deal.

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      Real Madrid star Thibaut Courtois goes public with stunning model girlfriend Mishel Gerzig

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      FORMER Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has taken to Instagram to pose publicly with his new girlfriend for the first time. He was spotted with Israeli model Mishel Gerzig earlier this summer, sparking rumours that the pair were together – and now both have revealed that they are officially a couple.  

      The 29-year-old took to Instagram to reveal his news, posting a picture of him next to the 23-year-old model.
      Courtois captioned the post in Hebrew that translates to “The love of my life” to which Gerzig replied, “my love”.
      The pair were seen aboard a yacht together in Ibiza after Belgium’s exit from Euro 2020, but the shot stopper didn’t give much away at the time.
      But now the pair have gone public, with both of them posting pictures together on Instagram in recent days.
      Gerzig has over 180,000 followers on Instagram and represents ITM models.
      She took to Instagram this week, posting a picture of her holding hands with Courtois as they shared a laugh, captioning the photo “mi amor” or “my love”.

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      Earlier this year, Courtois was linked to Spanish model Mayka Rivera – but she denied the rumours.
      He has two children with Marta Dominguez – but the pair split up while he was at Chelsea.
      The Belgium international also allegedly fathered a secret love child with his TV host and married neighbour Alba Carrillo in 2019.
      And the Real Madrid keeper celebrated the news of announcing his relationship with Mishel Gerzig by helping Los Blancos to a 4-1 win against Alaves in their La Liga opener on Saturday.
      Karim Benzema scored twice, with Nacho and Vinicius Jr adding the other two goals to send Carlo Ancelotti’s side top of the La Liga table on goal difference after one game.
      Ancelotti and Co will be desperate to bring the La Liga title back to their half of Madrid this campaign after Atletico scooped the prize last season.
      And they will feel like they are in pole position to do so after Lionel Messi’s departure from Barcelona and the financial mess the Catalan club find themselves in.
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