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      in Soccer

      Gareth Bale’s awkward Real Madrid showdown talks put on ice after he leaves for international duty with Wales

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      GARETH BALE’S controversial reunion with Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has been put on hold.
      The Los Blancos squad are due to return for pre-season training on August 30.

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      Gareth Bale’s awkward reunion with Zinedine Zidane at Madrid has been postponedCredit: –
      However, Wales’ head coach Ryan Giggs has called the star up for international duty, meaning his return to Madrid is delayed.
      Despite being left out of the LaLiga champions’ run-in, his last game being on June 24, the forward is in line to face Finland and Bulgaria in the Nations League on September 3 and 6.
      The double-header will provide the 31-year-old with an opportunity for match action after he was outcasted by Zidane.

      He was left out for the final six matches of the campaign.

      That led to several uncomfortable incidents towards the season’s end with Bale accused of being disrespectful after he was spotted larking around on the sidelines during games.
      But that means his future will remain up-in-the-air with Madrid determined to get both him and Colombian James Rodriguez off the wage bill.
      Club president Florentino Perez has already stated they must sell before they can buy due to the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

      Bale, though, remains determined he will stick to his guns and stay in a £60m stand-off as payback for failing to let him leave last summer.

      Zidane confirmed the attacker refused to travel for the Champions League defeat to Manchester City this month because he knew he would not get picked.
      Determined Bale plans to see out the final two years of his Bernabeu contract as he remains furious with Real for blocking his mega-move to China 12 months ago.
      The £1million-a-week deal to Jiangsu Suning was called off at the 11th hour after Real asked for a transfer fee and that U-turn by the Spanish champions has led to Bale’s stubborn stance.

      Meanwhile, Giggs issued a warning to Bale over his lack of match fitness, saying: “There is no special treatment for anyone. I will look at each case individually.
      “It is always something, a player not playing or a late injury. I need to adapt. If it becomes a problem in six months we will have to see. I can’t see it being a problem for these games.
      “He is a good professional and always keeps himself fit. I speak to him when he is on camp. He was available for me for every game in the qualifiers. It’s never been a problem so far.
      “Is it a worry for me? No. That might change, we will have to see in the future.”

      Inside Bale’s millionaire lifestyle in Madrid, with a £6.5m home, £230,000 Ferrari and golf on his doorstep More

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      in Soccer

      Lionel Messi salary and net worth 2020: How much does Barcelona star earn and what deals does he have?

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      MONEY is not the motive behind Lionel Messi’s decision to quit Barcelona.
      The Nou Camp icon has handed in his transfer request to leave the club for free.

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      Lionel Messi lives a life of luxury with wife Antonela RoccuzzoCredit: Reuters
      Manchester City are ready to go all out for the 33-year-old this summer – and believe they can afford him.
      SunSport have pulled together as much information as possible about Messi’s earnings in Spain too see if City can match it.
      How much does Messi earn at Barcelona?
      Forbes claim the 33-year-old earns a salary of £54m at the Nou Camp.
      Messi also rakes in around £24million each year from endorsements and sponsorship deals.

      This means he could see his bank balance rise by around £78m PER year.

      Football Leaks claim he pockets a further £13m in bonuses with Barcelona.
      According to Forbes, Messi is the fifth highest-paid celebrity in the world.
      Surprisingly, he is not the richest footballer on the list.

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      Lionel Messi is arguably the best football player on the planetCredit: Reuters

      Arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo is in fourth with a yearly wage of £80million.
      Tennis star Roger Federer, Kanye West and Kylie Jenner are also ahead ofh im.
      What is Messi’s net worth?
      The Argentine’s net worth is believed to be close to £309m ($400m).
      Messi has seen his wealth rocket since he became the highest-paid La Lig player in 2017.
      He agreed to new terms as he committed himself to the Catalan club until 2012.
      Before signing the deal, he was believed to earn round £336,000-per-week.
      What deals does Messi have?
      The 33-year-old has a lifelong sponsorship deal with Adidas.
      This is reportedly worth £9million-per-year to the six-time Ballon d’Or winner.

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      Lionel Messi pictured an Adidas event in ChinaCredit: Reuters

      Messi is also sponsored by Gatorade, Huawei, Mastercard and Pepsi.
      Barcelona’s talisman has also been part of campaigns for Gillette and Turkish Airlines.
      As a result of his hard work, Messi owns a stunning £5.5million mansion and a £26m hotel.

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

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      in Soccer

      Lionel Messi spotted in Barcelona for first time since transfer bombshell as he and Suarez leave restaurant together

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      LIONEL MESSI was spotted in Barcelona for the first time since dropping the bombshell he wants to leave the Nou Camp.
      He was captured leaving a restaurant with best pal Luis Suarez – whose future also remains up in the air.

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      Lionel Messi was spotted in Barcelona for the first time since dropping his transfer bombshell

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      Messi was captured leaving a restaurant with best pal Luis Suarez

      Footage released by El Chiringuito TV, reveals Messi departing in a black vehicle while Suarez then follows separately.  
      It comes after the 33-year-old demanded Barca exercise a clause in his contract that would allow him to quit for nothing with immediate effect.
      But the Spanish giants believe the stipulation expired expired on June 10, with the Argentine superstar under contract until the summer of 2021.
      Club and player seem set for a legal battle over the clause, with Barcelona believing his €700m (£629m) buy-out clause is still valid.

      It has sparked a transfer battle between Europe’s rich list.

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      Manchester City, United, Chelsea, PSG and Inter Milan have all been linked with the Argentine superstar.
      But Suarez’s agent Alejandro Balbi, admitted the 33-year-old Uruguayan’s next step could be dependant on the outcome of Messi’s transfer saga.
      Balbi told TyC Sports via Goal: “Messi’s future will have an influence because they are best friends.

      “There is a lot of brotherly love between them; they are inseparable, always together.”

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      Messi’s anger at the Barca board started after new manager Ronald Koeman ordered the Suarez to leave in a one-minute phone call.
      Ajax have since confirmed their interest in signing the ex-Liverpool forward, who has also been linked to Inter Miami and Juventus.
      Inseparable pair Messi and Suarez are now set to report to training at the start of next week, despite both facing a Barca exit.

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      Messi’s anger at the Barca started after new manager Ronald Koeman ordered the Suarez to leave

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

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      in Boxing

      Anthony Joshua eyes Barcelona transfer to replace Lionel Messi as he shows off football skills in Instagram clip

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      BARCELONA have found their ready-made replacement should Lionel Messi leave – in the shape of heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua.
      The Argentine great, 33, wants to quit his childhood club after almost 20 years following a major fallout with the board.

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      Anthony Joshua offered himself to Barcelona as a replacement for Lionel Messi who is nearing the Nou Camp exit doorCredit: https://www.instagram.com/anthonyjoshua/?hl=en
      But while speculation around his next club continues, boxing champ Joshua put himself in the shop window with some silky skills.
      The Watford star, still in his prime at 30, took to his Instagram story to show off his tasty tekkers as he teased a dramatic career change.
      AJ did a series of keepy-uppies and even pulled out a nonchalant around-the-world as he enjoyed a kickabout in the gym after another gruelling session.
      He captioned the video: “@fcbarcelona If Messi goes I’m ready! Boxing ain’t getting any easier.”

      But the next video he posted will not give Marc-Andre ter Stegen any reason to worry.
      Joshua shared a clip from A League Of Their Own as he goes in goal to face a Freddie Flintoff penalty.
      And the former England cricket captain stuck it straight through the 6ft 7ins giant’s legs.
      AJ added: “Just don’t stick me in goal!”

      The WBA, IBF and WBO king is preparing to face Kubrat Pulev in their rearranged heavyweight showdown, expected to take place in December.
      But for Messi, his next move remains far from orthodox.
      He faxed the Barcelona board to inform them he wants to quit after growing furious with their treatment of him and, most recently, Luis Suarez.
      Messi, whose deal runs out in 2021, believes a clause in his contract means he can leave for free this summer.
      However, Barcelona reckon that offer expired back in June.
      Manchester City are the 5/2 favourites to land the Argentine if he does leave, reuniting with Pep Guardiola.

      Jorge Messi – the great man’s dad – has reportedly even landed in England to discuss terms over a sensational Etihad switch.
      But as revealed by SunSport, Manchester City will go all out to sign Messi  — as long as he is committed to joining them.
      City have been burned twice before in their pursuit of the six-time Ballon d’Or winner and do not want to be embarrassed again.

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      Joshua showed off his silky skills in the gym after a training session as he prepares to face Kubrat PulevCredit: https://www.instagram.com/anthonyjoshua/?hl=en

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      Messi is being linked with a stunning transfer to Manchester City where he would be reunited with Pep GuardiolaCredit: Reuters

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      Ally McCoist hopes that Messi will come to the Premier League More

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      in Soccer

      Lionel Messi ‘will report to Barcelona training on Monday’ as star prepares for legal battle after transfer bombshell

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      LIONEL MESSI will report to Barcelona training on Monday despite having made clear his intention to leave, reports claim.
      The Argentine shocked the football world on Tuesday by confirming that he will try and leave the club this summer.

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      Messi WILL attend Barcelona training on MondayCredit: AFP OR LICENSORS
      And he believes he can go for free, by exercising a clause in his contract to do so.
      But ahead of the inevitable legal battle with Barcelona, the 33-year-old’s representatives have advised him against doing anything that could give his club any extra ammunition in the court room.
      So according to TyC Sports, Messi WILL turn up when Barca return to pre-season training on Monday – despite previous indications that he wouldn’t.
      And new boss Ronald Koeman, whose disastrous first meeting with his captain precipitated the transfer request, will have a big decision to make regarding the six-time Ballon d’Or winner.

      The Dutchman will decide whether to allow him to train with the rest of the first-team squad – or to have him work separately.
      Koeman, 57, faces a fine line between indulging a potentially disruptive presence and possibly alienating even more of his squad.
      Messi is reportedly being chased by the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Inter Milan as the race for his signature hots up.
      City could be in the driving seat, with Mundo Deportivo’s Francesc Aguillar claiming that City chief executive Ferran Soriano believes that his side will successfully swoop in and take the six-time Ballon d’Or winner for free.

      The 53-year-old, however, has reached out to Messi’s camp to assure them that City can afford to sign him – even if they have to pay a transfer fee.
      Barcelona have previously insisted that they will demand his £630million release clause in full if they are to sell their star asset.
      But City chiefs are confident that they can negotiate this fee down, if needs be.
      Some, however, are backing Inter for his signature, with his former agent Josep Maria Minguella being one of them.
      The 79-year-old told Spanish radio station Cope: “For me, Messi already has a team: Inter.

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      Messi played potentially his last Barca game in the 8-2 defeat to BayernCredit: AP:Associated Press

      “In Italy they pay less taxes for what could be, in fact, there is Cristiano Ronaldo.
      “It is more difficult for me to see him in England no matter how much his friend Aguero and Guardiola are in City.
      “Now in Italy they are trying to revitalise the world of football with great signings and with these advantages in the advertising contracts of the footballers.” More

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      in Soccer

      Tottenham near £15m Matt Doherty transfer as Wolves line up moves for Maitland-Niles and Valencia ace Correia

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      TOTTENHAM are reportedly edging closer to signing Wolves star Matt Doherty for £15million.
      And Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are lining up Arsenal star Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Valencia’s Thierry Correia as replacements.

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      Tottenham are edging closer to signing Wolves star Matt Doherty

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      Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are eyeing Ainsley Maitland-Niles as a replacement
      Spurs are reportedly looking for a new right-back to enable Serge Aurier to leave if an acceptable bid comes in.
      And Irish international Doherty is Jose Mourinho’s No1 target in that position, according to the Telegraph.
      The 28-year-old has been at Molineux since 2010.

      And the Spurs boss is said to have been particularly impressed with his performances with the Midlands side since they have been back in the Premier League.

      Doherty played right wing-back for Nuno last season in a 5-2-3 formation.
      But it is unclear whether Mourinho is planning to use him in a four or five-man defence.
      Wolves are close to agreeing a £20million deal with Arsenal to sign Maitland-Niles, who can play in midfield or in Doherty’s place.
      The versatile 22-year-old played a huge part in the Gunners’ FA Cup final win over Chelsea at Wembley earlier this month.

      However, despite the fact he still has three years remaining on his current Emirates deal, one of Arsenal’s brightest young talents has made it clear he is interested in a move to Molineux.
      Although Maitland-Niles made 32 appearances for the Gunners last season he never felt he was central to Mikel Arteta’s plans and would remain on the periphery if he remains.
      Wolves will not stop with Maitland-Niles though and are hoping to also land right-back Correia for less than £10m.

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      Wolves are also lining up a move for Valencia right-back Thierry Correia
      The 21-year-old can leave Valencia as they try to combat the financial impact of coronavirus.
      He only arrived from Sporting Lisbon last summer for £11m.
      But after 11 appearances during his first campaign at the Mestalla he will reportedly head for the exit door in the coming weeks.

      Chelsea confirm £50m Ben Chilwell transfer from Leicester City as he becomes Frank Lampard’s third addition to squad More

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      in Soccer

      Five players who could replace Lionel Messi at Barcelona after transfer request – from Kylian Mbappe to Jadon Sancho

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      BARCELONA are officially in crisis.
      Ronald Koeman succeeded Quique Setien last week after the Catalan giants’ horrendous Champions League humiliation at the hands of Bayern Munich in Lisbon.

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      Lionel Messi wants to leave BarcelonaCredit: EPA

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      Fans, gathered outside the Nou Camp, are in uproar at their club in crisisCredit: EPA
      But if club chiefs thought that the appointment of a club legend would placate his wounded stars… they were badly mistaken.
      And on Tuesday things went from very bad to utterly catastrophic at Camp Nou when club talisman Lionel Messi shocked the football world by outlining his intention to leave the club this summer.
      A battle in the courts is likely to follow, as Barca desperately try and ensure that they at least receive a transfer fee for their iconic No10.
      But doing so would be just the beginning – even with money, how on earth do you replace a six-time Ballon d’Or winner?

      We take a look at a few of their options this summer.

      LAUTARO MARTINEZ (23, Inter)

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      The 21-goal Argentine could leave Inter Milan this summerCredit: EPA
      Barcelona have long been chasing the Inter Milan forward, although seem to have fallen behind Manchester City in the race for the Argentine.
      But ironically should Messi, 33, join either City or Inter, that could open the door for Barca to pounce on the £81million-rated star.
      Part of the appeal of Barcelona for the 21-goal striker was believed to be the opportunity to link up with compatriot Messi – but perhaps Koeman could convince him with the allure of being his idol’s replacement.

      NEYMAR (28, PSG)

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      Barcelona will hope that Neymar still wants to returnCredit: AFP or licensors
      A deal that looked destined to happen last summer now seems a long shot.
      The Brazilian was desperate to return to Camp Nou from Paris Saint-Germain – with the failure to land him a factor in Messi’s unhappiness over the last 12 months.
      Whether or not Neymar would still be interested in returning without Messi, however, remains to be seen.
      But perhaps the 28-year-old could be enticed by the prospect of finally being the main man at Camp Nou.
      JADON SANCHO (20, Borussia Dortmund)

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      Jadon Sancho is currently in pre-season training with DortmundCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Borussia Dortmund was the club that Barcelona turned to in the wake of losing Neymar three years ago – and perhaps they could do the same this around.
      On that occasion they landed Ousmane Dembele for around £130m – thinking they’d bought the hottest young winger around.
      And while it hasn’t totally worked out, perhaps they could try and do something similar with Jadon Sancho.
      Manchester United are desperate to sign the 20-year-old – but with the trail having seemingly gone cold – maybe Barcelona could swoop in to sign the English star.
      KYLIAN MBAPPE (21, PSG)

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      Signing Mbappe would be the ultimate statement of intentCredit: EPA
      Now this would be fighting fire with fire.
      If you’re losing the defining footballer of a generation, why not try and replace him with the next one?
      Kylian Mbappe is undoubtedly a future Ballon d’Or winner, although many feel that his future will eventually lie away from Paris Saint-Germain.
      The Frenchman is believed to have dreamed of Real Madrid as a kid, but if Barca can negotiate a big fee for Messi – why not give prising Mbappe from PSG a go?
      SADIO MANE (28, Liverpool)

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      Barcelona have shown an interest in Sadio Mane previouslyCredit: AP:Associated Press
      If Barcelona want to recruit a bona fide superstar to replace Messi, they could do a lot worse than Liverpool’s Sadio Mane.
      They’ve shown an interest in the Reds star previously, but their move for Philippe Coutinho prohibited them from going for Liverpool players – unless they wanted to pay an extra £90m on top of any fee.
      But now that the clause has expired, the 28-year-old is likely to be well and truly on their radar.
      Mane’s dynamism and goal scoring ability would do wonders for Barcelona – but you’d imagine that the Senegalese sensation would have to push for a move.
      FROM WITHIN?

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      Ansu Fati, 17, impressed in his breakthrough campaignCredit: AFP or licensors
      If Barcelona DON’T get a fee, this is likely what they’ll have to rely on.
      Maybe Ansu Fati, 17, will develop into a genuine superstar – he certainly showed encouraging signs in his debut season.
      Or perhaps Antoine Griezmann could flourish more as the team’s main man? Matching the status that he had at Atletico Madrid.
      Failing that, there’s always Martin Braithwaite…

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      At least Martin Braithwaite is happy to be thereCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Ally McCoist hopes that Messi will come to the Premier League More

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      Lionel Messi transfer to PSG ‘impossible’ because £95MILLION salary is more than Neymar and Mbappe combined

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      LIONEL MESSI’S transfer to Paris Saint-Germain is reportedly impossible – because his £95million salary is more than Neymar and Kylian Mbappe’s COMBINED.
      The Argentina great, 33, told Barcelona he wanted to quit the club he joined almost 20 years ago following a major fallout with the board.

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      Paris Saint-Germain look set to be priced out of a transfer for Lionel Messi due to his mammoth wages which average around £95m per yearCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      And it was thought mega-rich PSG, essentially bankrolled by the Qatari state, would be among the front-runners tussling for Messi’s signature.
      But according to L’Equipe, even the Ligue 1 champions will not be able to afford the mind-boggling wages – regardless of whether there is a transfer fee.
      Messi earns around £64m per year in basic wages – approximately £1.2m per week.
      But he then pockets extra for signing, staying and winning trophies.

      It is said appearing in 60 per cent of matches until his Barcelona contract expiry bumps his average earnings up to £95m.
      Add in winning the treble and Fifa’s Player of the Year award to boost that by another £15m.
      The crazy numbers dwarf the money earned by PSG’s two current superstars.
      Neymar bags around £620,000 per week as the French side’s highest-paid player, working out as £32.2m across 12 months.

      That meant he was on more than the entire Atalanta squad they scraped past in the Champions League quarter-finals.
      Mbappe is next on around £280,000 per week – or £14.5m a year – while Thiago Silva, whose contract expired and is now set to sign for Chelsea, was on £190,000 per week, which equated to just shy of £10m across the year.
      It means together, the PSG front pair earn around £47m – well below Messi’s basic salary before bonus are even taken into consideration.
      And with PSG seemingly out of the question, Manchester City will be even more confident of a deal.
      The Etihad club are in pole position to sign Messi should he be allowed to leave Barca – with Pep Guardiola ready for a reunion and reports suggesting Jorge Messi, the legend’s dad, has flown to Manchester to discuss a transfer.
      City chief executive Ferran Soriano believes that his side will successfully swoop in and take the six-time Ballon d’Or winner for free.

      The 53-year-old, however, has reached out to Messi’s camp to assure them that City can afford to sign him – even if they have to pay a transfer fee on top of his mammoth weekly wages.
      Messi believes he is entitled to leave for free due to a clause in his contract but the Nou Camp side insist anyone wanting to buy their captain must stump up £631m.
      Chelsea and Inter Milan continue to be linked, but Manchester United are thought to be out of the chase.

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      Mbappe and Neymar together earn around £47m per year on their current PSG contractsCredit: Reuters

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      Ally McCoist hopes that Messi will come to the Premier League More