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      Luka Jovic ‘desperate to quit Real Madrid with £53m transfer flop not in Zinedine Zidane’s plans this season’

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      LUKA JOVIC is reportedly desperate to quit Real Madrid in search of first-team football in order to reignite his flailing career.
      Spanish outlet Marca claim that the Serbian is considering multiple loan offers to leave the Santiago Bernabeu.

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      Real Madrid flop Luka Jovic is set to leave the club on loanCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      The report adds that AC Milan are interested in the 22-year-old but face competition from Hertha Berlin and other Bundesliga clubs.
      A return to Germany could appeal to Jovic, after his stunning breakthrough at Eintracht Frankfurt led to a £53million move to Madrid.
      Yet the forward’s prospects have since taken a downturn after managing just two goals in 27 appearances for Los Blancos last season.

      His problems have not just been on the field, with the player also involved in a number of coronavirus controversies throughout the pandemic.
      Jovic was threatened with arrest after breaking lockdown rules to return to his homeland – a trip he headed back to Madrid with a foot injury from.
      The Serb – who got engaged to Sofija Milosevic last month – caused more headlines when he flouted social distancing rules by enjoying a barbecue.
      Zinedine Zidane is said to still have faith that Jovic can be a success in Madrid, but the Frenchman is unwilling to promise him regular football this term.

      A loan is considered the best move for both parties, with Madrid hoping the striker regains his confidence while also earning some money in a temporary transfer.

      Milan have been tracking Jovic for months as they look to provide cover for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who turns 39 next month.
      And Leicester City were reportedly plotting a £31m swoop to partner him with Jamie Vardy.
      Yet the Foxes have since turned their attentions to Roma winger Cengiz Under.

      Jovic and Sofija got engaged in Capri last month

      The couple also have a child on the way

      Premier League clubs are intersted in Luka Jovic – here is why More

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      Lionel Messi can finally trademark surname after NINE-YEAR legal battle with Spanish cycling brand Massi

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      LIONEL MESSI can finally trademark his surname after a NINE-YEAR legal battle with Spanish cycling brand Massi.
      Argentine great Messi first tried to trademark his surname as a sportswear, footwear and equipment brand in 2011.

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      Lionel Messi can finally trademark his surname after a nine-year legal battle with Spanish cycling brand Massi

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      The owners of Massi argued the Barcelona legend’s brand would lead to customer confusion

      But the owners of Massi disputed this, as they argued the Barcelona legend’s brand would lead to customer confusion.
      Now the European Court of Justice dismissed an appeal made by the EU’s intellectual property office, EUIPO, and Massi on Thursday.
      The EU high court said Messi’s reputation is a relevant factor in distinguishing between the cycling company and himself.
      Massi was initially successful in challenging the application after a complaint was upheld in 2013 – but they lost in a ruling at the EU’s General Court two years ago.

      At the time, the court concluded that confusion between the two was unlikely.
      They said: “Mr Messi is, in fact, a well-known public figure who can be seen on television and who is regularly discussed on television or on the radio”
      Messi’s court battle victory comes after he refused to drag Barca through the same ordeal.
      The forward – who Forbes rate as the highest-paid player in the world – wanted to leave the club after 16 seasons.

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      Messi believed he had a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave at the end of the season.
      But the Spanish giants insisted, despite the season playing out until August, that the stipulation had expired and not extended.
      The six-time Ballon d’Or winner was not willing to take the club to court to contest it, and instead confirmed he will remain at Barcelona this season.
      He has a year left on his contact, meaning he can walk out for nothing next summer.

      Watch Lionel Messi score stunner with his RIGHT foot in Barcelona friendly after Man City’s failed transfer swoop More

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      Spurs fans frenzy as leaked image appears to show Gareth Bale has golf tee time booked with Daniel Levy on Friday

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      A LEAKED image appears to show Gareth Bale is booked in for a round of golf with Daniel Levy on Friday.
      The Real Madrid star, 31, is expected to land in London on Friday to complete his loan move to Tottenham.

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      The image that appeared to show the booking went viral on social media

      Fans went wild believing that the leaked image all-but confirm the Welshman’s transfer to Spurs.
      And many said they were also booking tee times, in the hope of catching a glimpse of The Golfer.
      The photograph appeared to show Bale – who was relentlessly mocked in Spain for his love of golf – will play at Hadley Wood on Friday.
      And he will apparently be joined by Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy and chief scout Steve Hitchin.

      After the image did the rounds on social media, one fan said: “He’s going to be announced while playing golf isn’t he.”
      Another added: “You could not write this!”
      One Twitter user said: “Gareth Bale and Daniel Levy playing golf tomorrow at Hadley Wood. Promising signs for the Spurs fans.”

      And one predicted: “We’re going to get a Gareth Bale playing golf compilation as an announcement tweet.”

      However, a social media post later made by the golf club seemed to suggest the leaked image was a hoax.
      Hadley Wood Golf Club wrote: “Never had so many Friday afternoon tee time requests. #WeWish.”
      Bale has already said goodbye to his Madrid team-mates ahead of his return to North London.

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      The golf-loving Welshman could be announced by Spurs on FridayCredit: Getty – Contributor
      The Welshman – who has a golf course at his home in Spain – has reportedly passed his medical.
      He is set to join his former club on a season-long loan in a deal worth £20million.
      Golf-fanatic Bale left Spurs for Real Madrid for a then-world record £85million in 2013.

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      He has since scored more than 100 goals won four Champions League titles.
      But Madrid are keen to get the out-of-favour star’s huge £650,000-per-week wages off the book.
      It is understood the Spurs will pay 50 per cent of his wages – with Real covering the other half.

      Gareth Bale ‘passes medical’ as Tottenham close in on £20m loan transfer for Real Madrid superstar More

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      Edin Dzeko agrees terms with Juventus ahead of £15m transfer leaving Luis Suarez in limbo

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      EDIN DZEKO has agreed terms with Juventus ahead of a £15million switch from Roma.
      The Serie A side are set to sign the 34-year-old instead of Luis Suarez – even though the Barcelona star sat his Italian language exam today.

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      Edin Dzeko will replace Gonzalo Higuain at JuventusCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      According to Goal, Dzeko will join Juventus on a two-year deal worth £7m-per-year.
      He was put up for sale by Roma as the club wanted to get his salary off the books.
      Dzeko – who joined Roma permanently in 2016 – scored 19 goals last season.
      Juventus have picked the ex-Manchester City star to replace Higuain instead of Suarez.

      Suarez has been linked to the Italian club since Ronald Koeman told him he was surplus to requirements at Barcelona.
      The Nou Camp side are even willing to pay off part of his contract to get him out of the door.
      He fuelled speculation that he was set to join them as he arrived for his Italian language exam today.

      The striker, 33, would have had to pass the citizen level B1 Italian test for his move to Turin to go through.

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      Ronald Koeman has told Luis Suarez he is no longer needed at the Nou CampCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Dzeko and Suarez were Maurizio Sarri’s top two targets as he looked to replace Higuain.
      Juventus have paid out a whopping £17m to cancel the former Chelsea striker’s contract.
      The Argentine star, 32, is expected to complete his move to David Beckham’s Inter Miami this week.

      Luis Suarez arrives to take Italian exam which Barcelona star must pass or Juventus transfer deal will collapse More

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      Quique Setien claims he was only officially sacked YESTERDAY by Barcelona as ex-boss announces legal action

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      QUIQUE SETIEN will take legal action against Barcelona after revealing he was only officially sacked YESTERDAY.
      The former Nou Camp boss was relieved of his duties last month after being hammered 8-2 by Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

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      Quique Setien will take legal action against Barcelona after only being officially sacked yesterdayCredit: PA:Press Association

      Ronald Koeman is now in charge of affairs and had to immediately deal with a revolt from star man Lionel Messi.
      A number of players including Ivan Rakitic and Arthur have already left Barca.
      And they will soon be joined by the likes of Arturo Vidal and Luis Suarez, with Miralem Pjanic and Trincao the only significant arrivals.
      But it’s ex-manager Setien who has declared war on the club’s board after claiming he only received official word of his exit on Wednesday.

      The tactician’s contract was due to run until 2022 but he says he is yet to hear anything about a severance package.
      And Setien confirmed in a social media statement that he and three of his assistant coaches will now take legal action against Barcelona.
      The declaration read: “Quique Setien, Eder Sarabia, Jon Pascua and Fran Soto – we communicate that, due to the latest information published, we want to make the following clarification.
      “After a month of absolute silence by the Barcelona board of directors, and after various requests by us it is not until yesterday when we finally received the first official communications by burofax.

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      “These communications reveal the clear intention of the directors not to comply with their employment contracts dated 01/14/2020.
      “In my case, Quique Setien, it is public and well known that on August 17, both the Club and the President announced my dismissal with immediate effect.
      “However, it was not until yesterday, September 16 (one month later), when they sent me, for the first time, the written communication of said dismissal (without any settlement).
      “Regarding the rest of the coaching staff, they informed us, also yesterday, to our surprise, of a ‘future relocation’ to the club.
      “For all that has been said, we have been forced to put the conflict resolution in the hands of our lawyers, taking into account that we must bring the corresponding legal actions.
      “And this, in order to preserve our rights and what was agreed in its day with Barcelona.”

      Luis Suarez arrives to take Italian exam which Barcelona star must pass or Juventus transfer deal will collapse More

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      Gareth Bale’s loan transfer to Tottenham ‘in total agreement’ with club set to announce stunning return on Friday

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      GARETH BALE arrived at the Real Madrid training ground this morning to say his goodbyes with Tottenham set to announce his stunning return on Friday.
      Bale, 31, was filmed heading into Los Blancos’ Valdebebas base at around 10.15am local time.

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      Gareth Bale arrived at the Real Madrid training ground at around 10.15am this morning

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      The Welsh winger pulled up in his grey Audi wearing a white tee and sunglasses in the Spanish capital

      He swung in driving his 4×4 grey Audi wearing a white t-shirt and sunglasses with his top knot tied up.
      Sky Sports News’ Ben Ransom was outside the gates to the training ground when Bale turned up.
      He said: “We were not expecting to see Gareth Bale this morning.

      “We saw him drive into the training ground with plenty of time to get in and get set up. We’re not sure how long he will be there.
      “Yesterday he only came for 20 minutes before disappearing again.
      “We are only a short drive away from Madrid Airport where a private jet is on standby should he get the green light to travel to London.”
      Bale and Spurs have reached total agreement on a season-long loan deal, says The Athletic’s David Ornstein.

      The winger will fly to London and finalise the deal on Friday, with the club hoping to announce Bale’s return – seven years after he left on what was then a world-record £85m move – the same day.

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      Gareth Bale has arrived at Real Madrid’s training ground ahead of potential move to Tottenham.
      — Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) September 17, 2020

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      Full-back Sergio Reguilon is also expected to complete a switch to North London from the Bernabeu with both players completing most of their medicals in Spain.
      It is believed Spurs will pay 40 per cent of Bale’s £650,000-a-week wages with Real Madrid covering the remaining 60 per cent.
      But Spurs fans are unlikely to see Bale back in their shirt for a month.
      The earliest he is likely to be free to make his second debut for the North London side would be October 17 – a clash with bitter rivals West Ham – as a result of Covid-19 quarantine rules and another international break.

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      Bale has reportedly completed most of his medical in Spain and could be announced as a Spurs player on FridayCredit: AP:Associated Press More

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      Luis Suarez arrives to take Italian exam which Barcelona star MUST pass or Juventus transfer deal will collapse

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      LUIS SUAREZ has arrived to take his Italian language exam which he MUST pass for his Juventus transfer to go through.
      The Barcelona star is required to take a citizenship level B1 Italian test in order to get a passport.

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      Luis Suarez arrived at the University for Foreigners Perugia for his Italian language test

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      The Barca striker is seeking Italian citizenship ahead of a potential move to Juventus

      And he was pictured pulling up at the University for Foreigners Perugia in a taxi to sit the exam on Thursday afternoon.
      Onlookers shouted jibes about Giorgio Chiellini who Suarez famously bit at the 2014 World Cup and will be his captain if the Juve move goes through.
      Suarez’s wife Sofia Balbi is an Italian citizen which means the ex-Liverpool striker qualifies for citizenship too if he passes.

      The B1 test lasts about four hours and costs between £155 and £190.
      And it involves listening, reading, speaking, grammar and sentence stucture.
      Once the exam is passed it must be submitted alongside a citizenship application.
      And SunSport pulled together some Italian phrases which Uruguayan Suarez – whose first language is Spanish – might find useful.

      ‘Mordere’ means bite, ‘Tuffo’ means dive and ‘Dove si trova Messi?’ is what he would utter when asking where his old pal Lionel Messi has got to.

      Manager Andrea Pirlo only pockets £1.6million-per-year after taking charge of the club

      Suarez has been heavily linked with Juve since new Barca boss Ronald Koeman told him he was surplus to requirements at the Nou Camp.
      The 33-year-old is being lined up as Gonzalo Higuain’s replacement and is having to get full citizenship as Juventus have used up their quota of non-EU players with Arthur and Weston McKennie.
      Barcelona are keen to get him out to free up space – and cash – for the likes of Memphis Depay to come in.
      Suarez is reportedly demanding to be paid the full £15million he is due to earn this season in order to be bought out of the contract.

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      The striker clambered out of a cab before making his way through crowds and into the building
      Barcelona were initially unwilling and wanted Juventus to buy him out instead but the Old Lady were also not keen.
      But Barca have relaxed their stance and would be open to stumping up part of the £15m.
      This would see with Juventus paying what they want and the Catalans making up the rest.
      It is thought Suarez is demanding a three-year contract at his next club but concedes he will need to drop his wages.

      A detailed look at Liverpool transfer target Thiago Alcantara More

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      Barcelona chaos continues with no confidence motion passed over president Josep Maria Bartomeu after Lionel Messi saga

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      THE chaos at Barcelona continues with a no confidence motion passed over president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
      Bartomeu has been heavily criticised by many of the club’s members and now faces a battle to keep his job.

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      A no confidence motion has been passed over Barcelona president Josep Maria BartomeuCredit: Reuters

      Unlike most clubs, it is not possible to buy shares in Barcelona but instead fans can become members and vote on affairs and matters.
      According to El Periodico, the required 16,521 signatures supporting a no confidence motion – 15 per cent of ‘socis’ – has been reached, triggering a vote.
      However, some of these may be invalid and so they will be hoping to get as many as 18,000 to make absolutely sure the motion is passed.
      It has been an almighty effort from the ‘Mes que un mocio’ [more than a motion] movement because signatures must be collected in person rather than electronically – with no matches to attend and the Covid-19 troubles.

      Marc Duch, spokesman for the initiative, said: “We have a sufficient number of signatures and this morning we are receiving an avalanche. It is a real madness.”
      This is only the fourth time Barca have tried to oust a president – but the third in 12 years.
      The report adds that members plan to present the signatures to Barcelona this evening, allowing the club ten days to validate the ballots for members to vote on Bartomeu’s future.
      When that does take place, a majority of two-thirds against Bartomeu – who is also facing corruption charges – is required to remove him from office.

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      The Lionel Messi saga looks to have significantly angered vast numbers of fans.
      Bartomeu and the board’s fallout with Messi led to the Argentine hero declaring his intention to leave the Nou Camp.
      Manchester City were in pole position to sign him as fans protested outside the stadium to convince Messi to stay and the president to resign.
      The club captain finally made a U-turn, agreeing to see out the remaining year on his contract.
      But the whole situation did not go down well with supporters.
      MESSI AFFAIR
      Moreover, fans were already angry by the club’s disarray – both on and off the pitch.
      An underwhelming season saw Barca lose their LaLiga crown to rivals Real Madrid and an embarrassing 8-2 Champions League exit to Bayern Munich.
      Club finances are also in a mess with the Catalans strapped for cash.
      That meant the entire squad – bar a few individuals – were put up for sale in order to raise funds to bring in new transfer targets, although new boss Ronald Koeman admitted no incomings are expected.
      Ivan Rakitic has gone while they are desperate to push Luis Suarez – their third-highest goalscorer in history – out of the door, too.

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      The Lionel Messi saga angered many supporters because of the way Bartomeu handled the situationCredit: Reuters

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      Watch as furious Barcelona fans break into Nou Camp in support of Lionel Messi and demand president Bartomeu resign More