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      Everton’s Carlo Ancelotti ‘stepping up’ transfer pursuit of Madrid’s Isco and wants to reunite him with James Rodriguez

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      CARLO ANCELOTTI is ‘stepping up’ his pursuit of Real Madrid’s Isco in order to reunite him with James Rodriguez, according to reports.
      The pair enjoyed some of their best years at Los Blancos and both they, and Ancelotti, were at Madrid during the 2014-15 season when the club hit 118 goals.

      Isco has been caught in moments of controversy so far this seasonCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Isco may be tempted to link-up with his former teammate and manager – especially given reports about his unhappiness at Real Madrid.
      According to Spanish outlet Ok Diario, Ancelotti is pressuring Everton to try and get the midfielder as soon as January.
      The report adds that Real Madrid bosses would not be opposed to his departure and will listen to offers.
      A loan would also not be excluded, but if a permanent deal can be agreed a price of around £20million will be considered.

      If he were to join, he would be the latest star brought to Goodison Park by Ancelotti.
      James Rodriguez made a big impact in his opening few weeks on Merseyside since joining the club in the last window.
      Everton also bought in Allan and Abdoulaye Doucouré to add some robustness and quality to their midfield.
      Isco has endured a couple of difficult months at Real Madrid and has made headlines for the wrong reasons.

      Isco has been linked to a number of Premier League clubs over the yearsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Fans criticised his fitness when photos emerged of him in training last month.

      He also attracted controversy when he was caught on camera appearing to criticise his manager Zinedine Zidane’s decisions.
      The 28-year-old seemed to tell his teammates Marcelo and Modric: “If he (Zidane) has to bring me off, he substitutes me in minute 50 or 60 of the game, sometimes at half-time.
      “If he has to put me on, he puts me on in the 80th minute.”

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      Football star Isco shows off his skills at the Real Madrid training ground More

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      Real Madrid target transfer move for Man City star Eric Garcia to replace captain Sergio Ramos as contract talks stall

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      MANCHESTER CITY star Eric Garcia is being targeted by Real Madrid to replace captain Sergio Ramos as Etihad contract talks stall.
      Barcelona came close to signing the Spain star in the summer.

      Real Madrid want Manchester City defender Eric Garcia to replace skipper Sergio RamosCredit: Getty – Pool

      Sergio Ramos could leave Real Madrid when his contract ends in May, with PSG and Inter Miami among interested clubsCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Now Los Blancos are ready to snap up the player as they seek a replacement for Inter Miami target Ramos, 34.
      Ramos wants a two-year deal at the Bernabeu but chiefs prefer to give one year contracts to thirtysomethings.
      And Garcia, who has refused to put pen to paper on a new City deal, could be the answer.
      The 19-year-old has already made the international breakthrough.

      But after City signed Ruben Dias from Benfica for £64m to pair him with Aymeric Laporte, Garcia is unlikely to be a first-team regular at the Etihad.
      Spanish outlet ES reckon Bernabeu chief Zinedine Zidane has his sights set on Garcia.
      Real have a wanted list which also includes Bayern Munich defender David Alaba and Villarreal centre-half Pau Torres.

      Torres has a £47m release clause.

      But Garcia is out of contract next summer and would be a much cheaper alternative.
      Although Barca remain Garcia’s preferred destination, reportedly.
      Ramos has also been linked with PSG.

      Liverpool star Mo Salah tests positive for coronavirus after linking up with Egypt national team More

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      Ex-Crystal Palace wonderkid John Bostock reveals he REJECTED a huge TEN-YEAR contract by Barcelona aged just 14

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      FORMER Crystal Palace wonderkid John Bostock has revealed he SNUBBED a huge TEN-YEAR contract by Barcelona when he was just 14-years-old.
      The Spanish giants were so desperate to snap up the teenage midfielder they even sent him a signed poster of his favourite player – Ronaldinho.

      John Bostock on loan at Nottingham Forest last season, his last clubCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Midfielder John Bostock before his release from Tottenham back in 2013Credit: AFP

      Bostock, now 28, told the BBC that he got the incredible offer from Nou Camp chiefs back in 2006.
      He said: “When I was 14, Barcelona offered me a ten-year contract.
      “Ronaldinho was my favourite player at the time so they sent me a signed poster from him. I’ve still got it at my house in London. It said, ‘To John from Ronaldinho.’
      “You name the club, I had interest from them. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool – the who’s who of European football.

      “From as early as I remember I wanted to be the best player in the world and to win the Ballon d’Or.
      “I saw Ronaldinho win these trophies and I just thought I want to be that guy. I pinned my identity on that and I thought if I didn’t achieve that I was a failure.”
      The player went on to skipper the England Under-17 team.
      He landed a £700,000 transfer to Tottenham but did not play a single first-team game in five years at the North London club.

      He was released in 2013.
      Bostock was tipped for big things in his early teenage years.
      But that never became reality and he played for 13 clubs in 13 years.
      His last club was Toulouse in France.
      Bostock was on loan at Nottingham Forest last season.
      He is now back in England and searching for his 14th club.

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      Real Madrid ‘confident they CAN complete Kylian Mbappe transfer deal next summer for £161m if star refuses PSG contract’

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      REAL MADRID are ready to wrap up a sensational £161million deal for Kylian Mbappe – if he refuses to sign an extension to his Paris Saint-Germain contract.
      The France World Cup winner has been Los Blancos’ top target for the last two years.

      PSG striker Kylian Mbappe could sign for Real Madrid in a £161m dealCredit: AFP or licensors

      Madrid newspaper AS claim the Spanish giants are confident they can secure Mbappe’s transfer.
      The 21-year-old hitman is considering all options.
      He joined PSG from Monaco in July 2018.
      Mbappe’s contract expires in June 2022.

      He can sign a pre-contract with a club outside France in 14 months’ time.
      Bernabeu chief Zinedine Zidane has long been a fan of his fellow countryman.
      He would like to link Mbappe up with his fellow countryman Karim Benzema.
      Real are restructuring their finances to bring in the cash to turn the Mbappe transfer into reality.

      They will make £33m this season from offsetting wages they would have spent on James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale.
      They also brought in £27m from Tottenham for Spain left-back Sergio Reguilon.
      Madrid chiefs know that if Mbappe signs a new deal then his transfer value will rocket.
      They hope he will run down his contract so they can get him next year for £161m.

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      Arsenal joined by Real Madrid in Dominik Szoboszlai transfer race as Red Bull Salzburg demand £23m for 20-year-old

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      REAL MADRID are battling Arsenal to snap up highly-rated RB Salzburg midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai.
      Szoboszlai’s last-minute heroics secured Hungary a spot at the Euro 2020 finals, after he netted the winner to knock out Euro 2016 surprise package Iceland.

      ⚠️ Read our Arsenal live blog for the latest news from The Emirates

      Dominik Szoboszlai could be available for £23m in the January windowCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      The midfielder is out of contract in 2022.
      He could be available for £23million in January, with Los Blancos ready to test the water with a bid, report Madrid newspaper AS.
      Szoboszlai, 20 last month, has been at the heart of Salzburg’s rise to the top table in Europe.

      They have impressed in the Champions League after completing the league and cup double in Austria in both of the last two seasons.
      AC Milan and RB Leipzig also want the midfielder.
      Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is still looking to revamp his central midfield.
      He wants to add creative flair to the beef he added in the shape of £45m Atletico Madrid hardman Thomas Partey.

      Arteta missed out on Lyon star Houssem Aouar after he signed a new deal with the French club.

      Szoboszlai has scored four goals in the Champion League already this term, including one against Atletico Madrid.
      And it is that sort of form which has made him a huge target among Europe’s big clubs.
      The January window opens in less than seven weeks and the North Londoners will have to get in quick to snap up the impressive Szoboszlai.

      Arteta says Arsenal are inconsistent and something needs to be improved More

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      Liverpool star Salah reveals four childhood heroes including Real Madrid boss Zidane after being honoured by Egyptian FA

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      LIVERPOOL star Mohamed Salah has revealed his four childhood heroes – which includes Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.
      The Reds ace – who has tested positive for coronavirus – was being honoured by the Egyptian FA for his inspiring role in the country and his achievements in helping his club win the Premier League and Champions League.

      Salah has helped Liverpool to the biggest club trophies in recent yearsCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Real Madrid boss Zidane has reportedly tried to bring Salah to SpainCredit: AP:Associated Press

      In his speech accepting his award, he paid tributes to the men who he said influenced him in his career.
      Kingfut reports Salah said: “It’s a great thing to be honoured in my country. Since I was a child I wanted to improve and to become better.
      “I was inspired by plenty of players but above all I was inspired by Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario, Luis Figo and Francesco Totti.
      “When I played with Totti I felt that I fulfilled one of my dreams.”

      Salah shared a pitch with Totti during the Italian’s final two years playing for Roma between 2015-2017, where the winger began to shine following his struggles at Chelsea.
      His two seasons at the Stadio Olympico, where he scored 29 goals, convinced Liverpool to snap him up in the summer of 2017.
      It was at Anfield where his reputation ballooned to its current superstar status – and left another one of his heroes in Zidane reportedly wanting to manage him.
      Salah also paid tribute to some of his countrymen who inspired him.

      He said: “There are also many figures from Egypt that have inspired me.

      Ronaldo broke the world transfer record fee twice when he moved to Barcelona and then Inter MilanCredit: Getty – Contributor

      Figo spent a combined 14 years at Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter MilanCredit: AFP

      Salah played alongside Totti for two years just before the one-club man retiredCredit: Getty – Contributor
      “Of course Mahmoud El-Khatib is one of these names. Also my previous coach Diaa El-Sayed.
      “I advise any parent to not belittle from their child’s dream. My story is the biggest proof.
      “I came from a village that is far away from Cairo and used to wake up at 4 in the morning to go to training.

      “The support of my family is the reason for what I am living right now.”
      Salah was due to take part in Egypt’s double-header with Togo over the international break in African Cup of Nation qualification games.
      However, after returning a positive test for coronavirus, the 28-year-old will miss out and is also likely to miss Liverpool’s game against table-toppers Leicester when the Premier League resumes.

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      Cash-strapped Barcelona lose £23m-a-year from lucrative sponsorship deal with Rakuten amid doubts over Messi’s future

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      BARCELONA are losing £23million-a-year in their new shirt sponsorship deal because of the Lionel Messi transfer saga, it has been claimed.
      Japanese retailer Rakuten signed up with the LaLiga giants for the 2017-18 campaign and, earlier this month, extended the deal until 2022.

      Barcelona’s declining star power is hitting the club’s pockets considerablyCredit: AFP or licensors

      Sports marketing expert Cinto Ajram has explained how Barcelona stand to earn a significantly lower sponsorship fee.
      As a member of the Blaugrana’s negotiating team when the original deal was thrashed out, Ajram has claimed that the deal has dropped from £50m-a-year to £27m-a-year plus bonuses.
      And the reason behind the drop is not coronavirus, but Messi.
      He told EFE, via Sport: “It is the reality that coronavirus is greatly reducing the amount of money from sponsorships, because the visibility of brands has been greatly affected.

      “But the agreement now for £27m plus variables responds more to Rakuten’s uncertainty regarding the future of Leo Messi.
      “I would even wonder if this endorsement deal is valued at £27m right now.

      At a global level, what has done the most damage to Barcelona is that Messi said he wanted to leave.
      Cinto AjramFormer Barcelona Marketing Negotiator

      “Rakuten began their relationship with Barcelona at a critical moment, with the trident formed of Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar.
      “Commercially they were a bomb and now Barcelona is proposing to renew Rakuten without Suarez and Neymar and with the question of whether Messi will continue.

      “When you sell the Barcelona brand around the world, you put on the face of Messi.”
      In the summer, 33-year-old Messi told the club that he wanted to enact a release clause in his contract – but backed down at the threat of a legal battle.
      Nevertheless, the Argentine’s contract is up at the end of the season.
      Whether he remains at the Camp Nou or not may depend on the success of Ronald Koeman’s side, who sit eighth in the Spanish top-flight.

      Lionel Messi’s Barcelona contract expires in JuneCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Furthermore, Barcelona are suffering from heavy financial losses.
      Ajram has described how the club’s deal with Rakuten relied far too strongly on their star players.
      He continued: “The main problem with this agreement was that the board had no power over the players and yet they made commitments with Rakuten that involved the players.
      “[Like] asking Messi or Neymar to go to Japan in the middle of their holiday to present the sponsorship agreement.
      “All this has led to Rakuten’s preference to renew for another year with a very marked decrease in sponsorship money.”
      Ajram has called for Barcelona to change how they court sponsors, following the resignation of his former boss Josep Maria Bartomeu from the club presidency.

      But key to any future dealings will be where Messi signs his next contract.
      He added: “At a global level, what has done the most damage to Barcelona is that Messi said he wanted to leave.
      “Because many fans are fan of Messi, just like others are fans of Cristiano Ronaldo and, when he went to Juventus, they changed teams.”

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      Former wonderkid John Bostock reveals Barcelona offered him TEN-YEAR contract and signed Ronaldinho poster

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      FORMER wonderkid John Bostock revealed Barcelona offered him a ten-year contract and a signed Ronaldinho poster when he was 14.
      The then-Crystal Palace youngster had burst on to the scene and had Europe’s elite clubs chasing after his signature.

      John Bostock opened up on his contract offer from Barcelona which included a signed Ronaldinho posterCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      He told BBC Sport: “When I was 14, Barcelona offered me a ten-year contract.
      “Ronaldinho was my favourite player at the time so they sent me a signed poster from him.
      “I’ve still got it at my house in London. It said, ‘To John from Ronaldinho.’
      “You name the club, I had interest from them.

      “Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool – the who’s who of European football.
      “From as early as I remember I wanted to be the best player in the world and to win the Ballon d’Or.
      “I saw Ronaldinho win these trophies and I just thought I want to be that guy. I pinned my identity on that and I thought if I didn’t achieve that I was a failure.”
      Bostock did not sign that deal to head to Spain and stayed put with Crystal Palace, the team he joined aged five.

      He made his professional debut for his boyhood club aged 15 years and 287 days, becoming the Eagles’ youngest player – and was made to get changed in a different dressing room.
      But things spiralled downwards.
      A bitter 2008 £700,000 transfer to Tottenham was eventually settled through a tribunal and almost led to Palace chairman Simon Jordan revoking Bostock’s family’s season tickets at Selhurst Park.
      And the move had major implications both on and off the field as he struggled to get his break at Spurs – playing just four times for the senior side – and his confidence took a battering.
      Bostock, 28, added: “I do have regrets. Maybe the big regret wasn’t even not joining Barcelona but leaving Palace.
      “My family and my agent thought it was in my best interests to go to Tottenham.
      “The plan, the set-up, the players I’d be training with. They thought it would be best for my development.
      “If I’m honest I didn’t really have a voice. I was 15 – I saw paper on the table and I was told to sign it.

      Big things were expected of the Crystal Palace youngster as some of Europe’s biggest clubs circledCredit: PA:Empics Sport

      Bostock made his Spurs debut in a Uefa Cup clash against Dinamo Zagreb in November 2008, one of four first-team appearancesCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      “We didn’t expect the backlash. Obviously football is a business you understand that and you respect that.
      “I’d get death threats – they’d write things like, ‘I’m going to do this when I see him in the streets’.
      “I’m very grateful that I had my family network, more so mentally – people around me I could speak to about mental struggles.
      “Some people just see the football game for what it is but behind it there’s a life, pressures and expectations. I was just a young man trying to chase my dreams.
      “Before you know it you start questioning ‘well am I really that good? Am I really that amazing a player?’

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      “Then you start to look at people’s opinions of you – it’s a dangerous spiral for any person, especially in sport, once you start to question yourself.”
      Bostock is a devout Christian – and heads up Ballers in God, a community of Christian believers in professional football – and, together with his wife, credits his faith for keeping him going.
      Instead of the bright lights of the Nou Camp, Old Trafford or the San Siro, he ended up playing for 13 teams within 13 years.
      He was sent out on loan from Spurs to Brentford, Hull, Sheffield Wednesday, Swindon and Toronto before signing for Belgian side Royal Antwerp in 2013.
      A spell at OH Leuven followed as well as Lens and Toulouse in France either side of a brief stint at Turkish outfit Bursaspor.
      England youth international Bostock had a spell on loan at Nottingham Forest last season and, after leaving Toulouse by mutual consent in October, is hoping to stay in England and find a new club.

      John Bostock’s performance at new club Toulouse is a perfect Michael Jackson tribute More