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      Barcelona urged to make controversial Sergio Ramos transfer from arch-rivals Real Madrid by Rivaldo

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      BARCELONA have been urged to make a controversial transfer swoop for Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos by Rivaldo.
      The Spanish centre-back, 34, is out of contract at the Bernabeu in the summer.

      Rivaldo reckons Barcelona should go after Real Madrid captain Sergio RamosCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Contract negotiations have stalled between the captain and the club over the length of any extension.
      And former Barca attacker Rivaldo reckons Barca should try their luck by capitalising.
      The 74-cap Brazil international told Betfair: “A player has to be professional, and if you have good offers, I don’t think it’s okay to hear them.
      “Of course, Sergio Ramos would be a good signing for Barcelona.

      “It would be historic and it would be controversial because of Sergio Ramos’ history with Real Madrid.”
      But Rivaldo may be left disappointed due to Ramos’ loyalty to Los Blancos.
      Speaking about the possibility of Lionel Messi – another LaLiga star out of contract this summer – heading the other way to Madrid, Ramos ruled out a move.
      The 178-cap Spaniard, who earns a reported £312,000 per week, said: “Would I accept Messi in Madrid? 100 per cent.

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      “Without doubts. I would even invite him to my house to help him!
      “But I would never play for Barcelona, nor for €50million (£43m) nor for €70m (£60m) per year.
      “There are some things that money can’t buy. It’s impossible.”
      Ramos joined Los Blancos from Sevilla in 2005, scoring 100 goals in 668 appearances and winning 22 trophies.
      He has not played since January, though, due to a knee injury which required surgery.
      But that has not stopped plenty of press conferences being dominated by questions surrounding his future – much to Zinedine Zidane’s frustration.
      However, should no deal be arranged, Paris Saint-Germain or Manchester United may look to pounce.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

      The ex-Barca playmaker spent five years at the Nou Camp between 1997 and 2002Credit: EPA

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      Barcelona target Sergio Aguero shuts down transfer talk and hints at Manchester City stay as contract nears expiry

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      SERGIO AGUERO broke his silence over his future – and played down talk of a Barcelona transfer.
      The Manchester City striker’s Etihad contract expires in the summer.

      Sergio Aguero hinted he could stay at Manchester City as he addressed the transfer talkCredit: EPA

      But the Argentine, 32, hinted he could stay in the North-West for an 11th season.
      Speaking on Twitch, Aguero said: “They are all writing Barca, Barca, Barca.
      “Let’s hold on a little, have a look. Stop. We are still with City.”
      Aguero joined City from Atletico Madrid in 2011 but reports suggest he has an agreement in place with new Barcelona president Joan Laporta to make the Nou Camp switch this summer.

      The Catalan giants failed to replace Luis Suarez last year while bringing in the Argentine could help convince compatriot Lionel Messi to stay.
      And should City lose their talisman, they have already been linked with another Atletico hotshot to fill the void by eyeing Portuguese sensation Joao Felix.
      Aguero has played just 12 times totalling 349 minutes this season – scoring twice – due to ongoing injury woes and coronavirus.
      He is currently fit and available but has been overlooked by boss Pep Guardiola in recent weeks.

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      According to the Daily Mail, Aguero is frustrated by his lack of minutes and fears he is being phased out of the club for whom he is the record goalscorer on 256.
      Regarding a new contract for the No10, Guardiola admitted this week: “Maybe I will think about it when the international break starts and I have more time.
      “As a human and as a person – even as a player of course [I’d like him to stay]. But we have to see what happens at the end of the season.
      “We cannot forget how long he was out. He has started getting better.
      “I know he needs minutes to get to his best condition but we are not [able] to give him minutes [purely] for minutes because it is an important part of the season.
      “We have to be calm, the club will speak to his agent to know the situation and we are going to talk at the end of the season.”

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      Van der Vaart thanks Jose Mourinho for being brutally honest and telling him to leave Real Madrid as he was buying Ozil

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      RAFAEL VAN DER VAART has thanked Jose Mourinho for telling him to leave Real Madrid because he was buying Mesut Ozil in his position.
      The Dutchman played under the Spurs boss at the Bernabeu for just two months in 2010 but the Portuguese had a big impact on him in that time.

      Rafael van der Vaart heaped praise on Jose Mourinho for the way he treated him at Real MadridCredit: AFP – Getty

      Mourinho told Van der Vaart to leave because he was signing Mesut OzilCredit: PA:Empics Sport

      Mourinho was appointed as Manuel Pellegrini’s Real replacement at the end of May 2010.
      And by the end of August that year Van der Vaart had left for Tottenham in a £10million transfer and Ozil had arrived at the Bernabeu for £25m from Werder Bremen.
      But despite the quick turnaround, Van der Vaart, 38, told Paul Coyte’s talkSPORT 2 Sportsday Breakfast show he is grateful for Mourinho’s approach.
      He said: “He is an amazing coach. He’s an honest guy and I think almost every player who works with him, no one is talking bad about him.

      “That means he’s protecting his players, honest and that means a lot to players.
      “Although at that time he told me ‘Rafa, I’m going to buy Ozil. So I think it’s better you leave the club. If you are staying, it’s also OK but you are too good to be on the bench. Try and go somewhere else’.
      “I left for Spurs, so at the end I’m also really happy to him.”
      Van der Vaart also revealed he is delighted to see Real Madrid loanee Gareth Bale back in North London.

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      The pair were together at Real for just two months before Van der Vaart left for TottenhamCredit: AFP – Getty

      He added: “I’m happy that he’s back at Spurs, but I’m more happy at what he’s doing now because I think he’s a great player.
      “He did so much for Real Madrid and he deserves what he’s getting now and I hope it’s going to stay like that.
      “I hope he can give Spurs a title after a long time, or FA Cup, or Champions League, or Europa League or Premier League.”
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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      Classy Kylian Mbappe pays respect to Lionel Messi after knocking Barcelona legend out of Champions League with PSG

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      KYLIAN MBAPPE paid respect to Lionel Messi after knocking his Barcelona team out the Champions League.
      The Paris Saint-Germain superstar scored four of his side’s five goals in the 5-2 aggregate win over Barca in the last-16.

      Kylian Mbappe posted this picture of him and Lionel MessiCredit: Reuters

      And he has been widely touted as the ‘next Messi’ as the World Cup winner has quickly become one of the hottest properties in world football.
      But despite his rapid rise to superstardom Mbappe showed he has remained humble with his social media post after Wednesday’s 1-1 second-leg draw in Paris.
      Mbappe uploaded a picture of the two of them on the field together with the Frenchman smiling at a despondent looking Messi.
      And he simply captioned the post with two respectful looking emojis – praying hands and hands to the heavens.

      It received more than 651,000 likes and 50,000 comments.
      Despite the apparent show of reverence, Mbappe has previously labelled Messi’s bitter rival Cristiano Ronaldo the GOAT.
      After France played Ronaldo’s Portugal Mbappe shared a similar on-field post and captioned it with the GOAT emoji and the words: “IDOL”.
      With Ronaldo and Messi in their mid-30s, their reign as the two greatest players on the planet is coming to an end.

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      Mbappe’s post came after his PSG team knocked Messi’s Barca out the Champions LeagueCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      And Mbappe and Borussia Dortmund ace Erling Haaland are being lined up as their successors.
      Real Madrid have reportedly made Mbappe their No 1 target.
      And incoming Barca president Joan Laporta revealed he would be pursuing Haaland and trying to lure him to the Nou Camp.
      When asked by ESPN about Haaland, he said: “If we have to improve the team, I already have the cards ready for the players.
      “I have the cards to face all situations. Barça supporters can be sure that their club will soon be prosperous again.”
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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      Lionel Messi’s dad Jorge ‘will fly to Barcelona for showdown talks over son’s future’ amid Man City transfer links

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      LIONEL MESSI’S dad Jorge will fly to Barcelona for showdown talks about his son’s future, reports say.
      New club president Joan Laporta has vowed to keep Messi at the club, following the Argentine’s bombshell transfer request last summer.

      Jorge Messi pictured with his son LionelCredit: EPA

      New Barcelona club president Joan LaportaCredit: AFP – Getty

      According to journalist Maximiliano Grillo, Messi’s father and representative Jorge is now due for talks with Laporta on Monday.
      It is claimed he will fly from Argentina to Barca to discuss Messi potentially renewing his contract, which expires at the end of the season.
      SunSport revealed the 33-year-old wants proof that the LaLiga giants have the funds to bolster their squad in the transfer market.
      Messi tried to leave his boyhood side after 16 years at start of the season, but stayed to avoid a drawn out court battle.

      Still, former manager Pep Guardiola at Man City and PSG are waiting in the wings for a potential free transfer.
      Laporta is yet to come forward with an offer to Messi, because he still has not got the financial package in place to restructure debts that experts believe have spiralled to more than £1BILLION.
      The Messi camp know all too well the financial problems the club are in.
      It leaves them demanding clear proof from Laporta that he can deliver on his promises before he entertains the prospect of staying.

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      He has made it clear he still wants to be competing for — and winning — trophies in the final years of his glittering career.
      As a result, Messi will only commit to a project which gives him the best opportunity to do that.
      It is on this basis that City and PSG hope to be able to demonstrate they are in a better position than Barca to match his sporting ambitions.

      Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola wants a reunion with Lionel MessiCredit: EPA

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      Barcelona draw up sensational five-man transfer shortlist including Haaland, Aguero and Alaba to convince Messi to stay

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      BARCELONA have drawn up a sensational five-man summer shortlist, according to reports.
      And the Catalan giants are hoping that this show of ambition can convince Lionel Messi to stay.

      Barca have drawn up their five-man shortlist

      Lionel Messi has entered the final few months of his contractCredit: AP:Associated Press

      New president Joan Laporta has pledged to bring in some fresh talent, as Barca look to rebuild.
      But SunSport last night revealed that the Messi camp require proof that Laporta can spend big if he is to even entertain a new deal.
      Mundo Deportivo claim that Laporta is targeting the likes of Erling Haaland, Sergio Aguero, David Alaba, Eric Garcia and Memphis Depay.
      Of those five players, Haaland is Barca’s ‘big dream’, having scored 47 goals in 47 games for Borussia Dortmund.

      They are aware, however, that he will be by far the hardest to get.
      The Norwegian’s contract contains a £65million release clause, due to become active in the summer of 2022.
      But owing to the amount of interest, in particular from the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United, Barcelona expect Haaland to cost at least £95m – given what agent Mino Raiola will expect to earn as well.
      In a boost to Ronald Koeman’s side, Laporta DOES have a good relationship with Raiola, which would make agreeing a deal easier.

      Erling Haaland has scored 47 goals in 47 games for Borussia DortmundCredit: Rex Features

      Sergio Aguero’s appearances this season have largely been as a substituteCredit: AFP
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      Should Haaland be too difficult to attain for the debt-stricken club, Aguero has emerged as a back-up option.
      The 32-year-old is set to be out of contract in the summer, and has struggled for game time at City this season.
      Aguero is ‘crazy’ about linking up with his Argentina national team pal Messi and would even be willing to ‘take a pay cut’ to seal a switch.
      Another target to soon be out of contract is David Alaba, who has already confirmed that he will be leaving Bayern Munich.
      The Austrian, 28, is interested in Barcelona, but his rumoured £400,000-a-week demands provide a major stumbling block.
      ‘Wooed’ by Barca’s interest, however, agent Pini Zahavi is reportedly willing to wait on a decision from Laporta.
      Eric Garcia will return from Man City on a free transfer, having already agreed a five-year contract back at his boyhood club.

      Eric Garcia will leave Man City in the summerCredit: Rex Features

      David Alaba has confirmed his upcoming Bayern Munich exitCredit: Reuters
      And Barca are expected to reprise last summer’s interest in Lyon star Memphis Depay – with the Dutchman also having entered the final few months of his contract.
      Manager Koeman, 57, believes Messi can have no doubt that the team are headed in the right direction.
      The Dutchman said: “In general, Leo has seen that the team is getting better and better.
      “With the changes we’ve made, bringing in young players, Messi can have no doubts about the future of this team.”
      Koeman then added: “As for Leo’s future, it’s up to him to decide. Nobody can help him.
      “He has seen for a long time that there is a lot of promise in this team. That’s not going to be an argument for him not to stay.”

      Memphis Depay is expected to leave Lyon this summerCredit: AFP or licensors

      Ronald Koeman has backed Lionel Messi to stayCredit: AP:Associated Press
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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      Man Utd transfer blow as Raphael Varane ‘holds positive Real Madrid talks with new contract expected to be agreed’

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      RAPHAEL VARANE’S Real Madrid contract talks are reportedly ‘progressing well’, in a blow to Manchester United.
      The Frenchman is a key man in Zinedine Zidane’s team, and has even skippered the LaLiga champions on occasion this season.

      Raphael Varane has made 352 appearances for Real MadridCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      But speculation has begun to mount surrounding his future, with his current contract set to expire in 2022.
      Manchester United are one of the teams ‘monitoring’ Varane’s contract situation, and have even reportedly made him their No1 target in finding a new partner for Harry Maguire.
      But according to Marca, talks over a new deal for the 27-year-old in Madrid are ‘progressing well’.
      And an agreement is expected to be reached ‘soon’.

      Since joining Madrid as a 17-year-old back in 2011, the defensive stalwart has made 352 appearances, winning a whole host of honours including three league titles and four Champions Leagues.
      The Red Devils have also been linked with Varane’s centre-back partner Sergio Ramos, whose own contract expires this summer.
      Ramos, 34, has offered a brief update on his own future.
      He said: “I wish I could say something, but everything remains the same.

      “I’m just thinking about coming back and finishing the season in the best possible way. There’s no news about my renewal, as much as I’d like there to be.
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      Sergio Ramos has also been linked with a Real Madrid exitCredit: Rex Features

      “I’m calm, only thinking about playing again and savouring another title.
      “You can’t please everyone, but there is something you can’t erase, everything you’ve won.
      “The only thing that I care about is that people know I’m a real guy, that I gave my soul for the Madrid crest.
      “I’ve always been direct and face-to-face. I’m honest, humble and hardworking. I can perform at the highest level for five more years, injuries providing.”
      The Red Devils have been linked with a number of defenders, including Edmond Tapsoba, Jules Kounde, and an audacious swoop for Matthijs de Ligt.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

      Ramos, 34, is nearing a return to fitness after a torn meniscusCredit: Getty Images – Getty

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