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      Kylian Mbappe set to take legend’s shirt at Real Madrid and be forced to give up No7 jersey because of Vinicius Jr

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      KYLIAN MBAPPE will be handed Real Madrid’s legendary No10 jersey if he completes a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.Mbappe, 25, has informed Paris Saint-Germain he won’t trigger an option to extend his contract by another year and will thus leave in June as a free agent.
      Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe will get Real Madrid’s No10 shirtCredit: Rex
      Vinicius Jr currently occupies Mbappe’s signature No7 shirt at Real MadridCredit: Rex
      Mbappe will take Luka Modric’s shirt number at Real MadridCredit: Rex
      Europe’s elite has taken notice with Premier League giants, such as Arsenal and Liverpool, monitoring the situation but the star striker is reportedly “leaning towards” Real.
      According to Mundo Deportivo, Los Blancos are trying to sweeten the deal by offering him the same shirt number wore by past legends, such as Ferenc Puskas, Luis Figo and Clarence Seedorf.
      That means the France international will have to give up his signature No7 shirt, which he currently wears at PSG.
      That is because Vinicius Jr has proven he can wear it with the same class as legendary predecessors, like Raul, Emilio Butragueno and of course Cristiano Ronaldo.
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      Luka Modric currently occupies the No10 shirt but is expected to put an end to his glittering 12-year career in Madrid once his contract expires in the summer.
      The same report claims Real are planning to officially announce Mbappe’s arrival before he links up with France for Euro 2024.
      However, there are still several formalities that need to be ironed out before the ex-Monaco star puts pen to paper.
      One major issue that stands in the way is the Frenchman’s staggering wages.
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      However, reports suggest Mbappe is willing to accept a huge pay cut to finally move to Real.
      The La Liga giants are hoping to pay the forward less than his £42.8million – around £827,000 a week – starting point.
      ‘We have to be in the conversation’, says Mikel Arteta as Arsenal boss has his say on Kylian Mbappe transfer saga
      However, he is still expected to become the club’s highest-paid player, surpassing England star Jude Bellingham by a significant margin. More

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      Barcelona make Premier League manager top choice to replace Xavi but cash-strapped side may be put off by release clause

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      BRIGHTON boss Roberto De Zerbi is Barcelona’s top choice to be their new manager.But De Zerbi’s Seagulls release clause – said to be worth up to £10m – could prove a sticking point for the cash-strapped Catalan club.
      Xavi has already announced he will quit Barcelona at the end of the seasonCredit: EPA
      Roberto De Zerbi is wanted by BarcelonaCredit: Rex
      Reports in Spain claim De Zerbi has the support of key Barca figures to replace Xavi when the playing legend leaves the dugout at the end of this season.
      President Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco, the former Chelsea and Barcelona star, both want the fiery Italian.
      They love the Seagulls’ style of football under De Zerbi, his commitment to youth, and his personality.
      De Zerbi’s agents, Edmundo Kabchi and Edoardo Cnajr, met Deco in Barcelona last Wednesday.
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      Although the talks were originally scheduled in order to discuss a contract renewal for another of their clients, defender Ronald Araujo, it is believed there were discussions about De Zerbi’s availability.
      When he replaced Graham Potter at the Amex in October 2022, he signed a four-year deal.
      Brighton and their head coach have been in talks for a couple of months about an extension which might well include a larger release clause.
      But even the current amount would be a problem for Barca as the club continues to juggle its fragile finances.
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      Xavi himself spent millions buying himself out of his contract at Qatari club Al Sadd in order to take over at the Camp Nou.
      De Zerbi could attempt something similar if he were desperate to force a move to Barcelona.
      Football’s weirdest contract clauses revealed including non-Arsenal agreement and a private jet promise
      But if the issue cannot be resolved, former Bayern Munich and Germany boss Hansi Flick is the Italian’s biggest rival for the job.
      Flick is now represented by super-agent Pini Zahavi, who has good connections with Barcelona and most recently managed to take Robert Lewandowski there from Bayern Munich. More

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      Kylian Mbappe set to FORFEIT more than Jude Bellingham’s eye-watering wages to seal Real Madrid transfer

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      KYLIAN MBAPPE will accept a huge pay cut to join Real Madrid, according to reports.The Frenchman is set to leave Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires at the end of the season.
      Kylian Mbappe is set to leave PSG at the end of the seasonCredit: Getty
      Mbappe has set his wage demands highCredit: Getty
      Several clubs have already expressed an interest in signing him on a free transfer, including Premier League giants Arsenal and Liverpool.
      However, Mbappe is reportedly “leaning towards” joining Real Madrid.
      Los Blancos have been pushing to sign the 25-year-old since his Monaco days.
      Mbappe came close to making the move in 2022, but shocked the football world by announcing a two-year extension with PSG instead.
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      He caused a stir among the PSG camp last summer after refusing to sign a new contract.
      The Parisians subsequently accepted a huge £259million offer from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal for him, but Mbappe rejected the move.
      He was axed from the squad for a brief period and sent to train with PSG’s “undesirables” – a group of players not wanted by the club.
      However, he made a return at the start of the Ligue 1 campaign and has since scored 31 goals in 30 appearances across all competitions.
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      Mbappe has scored 20 goals in 19 Ligue 1 games this season
      Real Madrid have already proposed a deal to Mbappe ahead of the summer, but his representatives have reportedly been left unimpressed.
      The Frenchman is set to receive a total of £62m plus bonuses from PSG for the 2023-24 campaign, but Real Madrid are unable to match that.
      ‘Can we buy Mbappe?’ – Sir Dave Brailsford gives cheeky response after young Man Utd fan’s transfer plea
      According to Spanish outlet AS, the La Liga giants are hoping to pay Mbappe less than his £42.8m – around £827,000-a-week – starting point.
      However, he is still set to become the club’s highest-paid player, surpassing Jude Bellingham by a significant margin.
      The England international currently rakes in around £220,000-a-week – £11.4m-a-year – at the Santiago Bernabeu, much less that what Mbappe is demanding.
      In fact, the difference between the two players’ weekly wages would be around £358,000, roughly £138,000 MORE than Bellingham’s standard weekly earnings.
      Mbappe reportedly also wants several bonuses added into his contract.
      The World Cup winner joined PSG in a £154m transfer from Monaco in 2018 and has since scored 243 goals and provided 105 assists in 290 appearances.
      Jude Bellingham joined Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund last summer and has since scored 20 goals in 29 appearancesCredit: Getty More

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      Inside Champions League giants’ stunning new ‘sports city’ complete with mini-stadium, artificial beach & climbing wall

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      ATLETICO MADRID have unveiled plans for a stunning new “sports city” boasting a mini-stadium, an artificial beach and even a climbing wall.The Spanish giants are ready to take the next step in their evolution after winning LaLiga twice in the past decade.
      Atletico Madrid have unveiled plans for a £220million ‘sports city’
      The complex will measure one million square feet and will be based by the Wanda Metropolitano stadium
      Atletico plan on building a new training complex, finally moving them into the city
      Diego Simeone’s men have already moved into the state-of-the-art Wanda Metropolitano stadium.
      And Atletico now want to surround the 70,000 arena with a sprawling complex boasting an array of buildings.
      The entire project is expected to cost an eye-watering £220million.
      And it will span a whopping one MILLION square meters in space.
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      Atletico firstly want to build a new training ground, which includes six football fields, a gym and a medical centre.
      It means they will finally be located in Madrid itself, with Atleti currently based in Majadohonda – 20km from their stadium.
      The complex will also boast a new 6,000-seater stadium for Atletico’s women’s team and youth teams, as well as public pitches.
      But the Spanish giants are not only looking to invest in football-related matters.
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      They plan on developing an athletics stadium, as well as four indoor multi-sports courts.
      There will even be an artificial beach for volleyball, complete with artificial waves for surfing.
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      A new 6,000 arena will be made for the women’s team and youth teams
      Atletico plan on creating an artificial beach and wave pool, as well as a climbing wall
      And plans are also afoot for a golf course and a climbing wall.
      Atletico want to capitalise on public use of their facilities, and will build a hotel and car park too.
      Oscar Mayo, their general director of business and operations, said: “This is a very ambitious project that the club had for years.
      “With a vision from the CEO, Miguel Angel, to build the entire sports city and entertainment complex around the stadium.
      “Without a doubt it will energise the city and will be transformative for the club, as well as its neighbours.”
      The Spaniards are also focusing on indoor sports
      The public will be able to access many areas of the grounds More

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      Man Utd and Chelsea transfer boost as ‘Barcelona OPEN to offers for star man as relationship with chiefs deteriorates’

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      BARCELONA are open to offers for defender Jules Kounde this summer as they continue in their struggle to balance the books, according to reports. Last year’s LaLiga champions are not having a good season as they flounder in third place, 10 points behind leaders Real Madrid.
      Jules Kounde is not the only player heading out the Nou Camp door this summerCredit: Rex
      Kounde previously been linked to Manchester United and ChelseaCredit: Rex
      Things escalated when manager Xavi Hernandez announced he would quit Barcathis summer, declaring the club had gone past “the point of no return.”.
      Another allegedly joining the mass exodus from Nou Camp this summer is Frankie de Jong, whose potential exit has sent Chelsea and Manchester United into a transfer war.
      According to Deportivo Mundo, Kounde, 25, is not happy with the way things are going at Barca.
      The centre-back is repeatedly forced to play at right-back, a position he has privately and publicly stated he does not like.
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      Kounde has not been at his usual standard on the right and has to compete with Ronald Araujo, Inigo Martinez, Pau Cubarsi and Andreas Christensen for his desired position.
      Despite assurances that he would return to centre back with the arrival of Joao Cancelo last summer, Kounde continues to find himself in the full-back role.
      But Hernandez’s ‘overbooking’ of centre-backs means they are in a good position to release one at the end of the season.
      The Frenchman, who only joined Sevilla in 2022, allegedly will be the first to go.
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      Manchester United and Chelsea are both in the running to take advantage of Barca’s predicament.
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      The Red Devils were linked with the defender when he was at Sevilla and apparently their interest has been re-ignited as Ten Hag looks to revamp his defensive ranks.
      The Blues have also shown interest in Kounde over the years, but lost out in 2022 when the defender chose Camp Nou over Stamford Bridge.
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      Kounde was even on the cusp of a deal with Chelsea the previous year, with the London team harbouring a strong belief that the move was inevitable once the Todd Boehly takeover was complete.
      Chelsea have also renewed their interest in Nou Camp teammate Pau Cubarsi, 17.
      With his staggeringly low release clause, the wonderkid has also attracted the interest of Premier League giants Manchester City. More

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      Mason Greenwood’s Getafe ‘broke unwritten rule’ over Jude Bellingham’s alleged slur with England star facing 10-game ban

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      GETAFE’S written complaint over Jude Bellingham’s alleged taunt at Mason Greenwood has surprised Spanish football chiefs, according to reports.The LaLiga side accused the England star of calling Greenwood a “rapist” during a match between Getafe and Real Madrid earlier this month.
      Jude Bellingham took on Mason Greenwood earlier this monthCredit: Getty
      Getafe complained to LaLiga after the matchCredit: Getty
      Their complaint was subsequently passed on to the Spanish football federation (RFEF) for further review.
      The competition committee will now appoint a judge to investigate the claim, with Bellingham facing a potential ban of between four and ten games if found guilty.
      Real Madrid and Getafe will have 10 days to appeal the eventual decision, which is expected to come within the next fortnight.
      According to Spanish paper Marca, LaLiga and Real Madrid were both taken aback by Getafe’s decision to appeal.
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      Bellingham’s alleged comment was missed by on the on-field official, although Getafe chiefs tried to get it included in the referee’s report after the game regardless.
      In Spain, clubs have an “unwritten rule” that they do not chase matters that have not been included in the referee’s report.
      Some insiders feel that Getafe’s decision to do so this time around could set a new precedent.
      Real Madrid are even claimed to hold concerns that this case could lead to “several complaints”.
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      After the alleged incident, Getafe manager Jose Bordalas said: “I know the same thing that you know. It’s not up to me, it’s the club, LaLiga and the Federation that have to make an assessment about it.
      “The only thing that I can say is that I ask for respect for Mason Greenwood because he is a great guy.
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      “He is a man who respects everyone and has exemplary behaviour.”
      Greenwood, 22, joined Getafe on loan from Manchester United in September, seven months after charges of attempted rape, assault and coercive control were dropped. More

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      Jude Bellingham and Real Madrid left ‘stunned’ as England star at risk of 10 match ban for alleged Mason Greenwood slur

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      JUDE BELLINGHAM and Real Madrid have been left stunned as his ‘rapist’ taunt to Mason Greenwood has been forwarded to Spain’s football federation.The England midfielder was accused of insulting Greenwood two weeks ago in Real’s clash against Getafe, who made an official complaint to LaLiga.
      Jude Bellingham and Mason Greenwood clashed in Real Madrid’s showdown with Geatfe earlier this monthCredit: REX
      Bellingham is alleged to have called the Manchester United loanee a ‘rapist’Credit: Rex
      Now, the league has referred the conflict to the competition committee of the RFEF, the country’s federation.
      They are now appointing a judge to fully investigate the claim and he will decide within the next two weeks whether Bellingham is punished.
      If found guilty and the incident is considered “serious” it would be a four-game ban, but if considered “grave” it could carry a punishment as high as TEN GAMES.
      Both Real and Getafe would have 10 days to appeal the decision.
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      Real and Bellingham are surprised that LaLiga, who have studied video evidence of him saying a word to Greenwood, have decided to get the football federation involved despite inconclusive evidence.
      Getafe are adamant that Bellingham called Greenwood a ‘rapist’ but there is another theory that he told the on-loan Manchester United forward that he was ‘rubbish’.
      Addressing the allegation against Bellingham, LaLiga said: “It must also be reported that after the end of the match, messages were detected through social media regarding a possible incident in which visiting player Jude Bellingham allegedly insulted local player Mason Greenwood in English after an action in the game.
      “Numerous media outlets have reported on this incident, as confirmed in the attached incident report.”
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      Getafe chief Jose Bordales launched a passionate defence of the Manchester United loanee after the alleged incident.
      He said: “I know the same thing that you know. It’s not up to me, it’s the club, LaLiga and the Federation that have to make an assessment about it.
      Fans spot Jude Bellingham’s classy gesture after facing Greenwood’s Getafe as they say ‘England captain material’
      “The only thing that I can say is that I ask for respect for Mason Greenwood because he is a great guy.
      “He is a man who respects everyone and has exemplary behaviour.”
      Bellingham is currently injured with an ankle problem sustained against Girona at the weekend. More

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      Barcelona ‘name their price’ for Man Utd transfer target Frenkie de Jong with Premier League rivals set for battle

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      BARCELONA have named their asking price for star midfielder Frenkie de Jong, it’s been claimed.The Netherlands international was wanted by several clubs before his 2019 move to the Nou Camp from Ajax.
      Barcelona have reportedly named their asking price for Frenkie de JongCredit: REX
      The Spanish giants are said to be willing to sell the 26-year-old for a whopping £85millionCredit: Rex
      Despite Barca’s inconsistency in recent years, De Jong has continued to impress – so much so Manchester United tried to acquire his services last summer.
      The Catalans were reluctant to sell the 26-year-old, although they’re now reportedly willing to part company with him.
      That’s according to Mundo Deportivo, who claim the La Liga giants have slapped a staggering £85MILLION asking price on the midfielder.
      The interest of United boss Erik ten Hag could very well be piqued by apparent Barca’s willingness to sell De Jong.

      But the £85m asking could prove to be too much for the Prem big boys.
      Ten Hag managed De Jong during his time in charge of Ajax, in which they won a domestic double and reached the 2019 Champions League semi-final.
      Chelsea are rumoured to be keen on signing the midfielder, although Financial Fair Play could scupper their interest in acquiring his services.
      De Jong – who has scored 16 goals and provided 21 assists during his time at Barca – has seldom spoken about his future at the Nou Camp.
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      Frenkie de Jong has refused to commit his long-term future to BarcelonaCredit: GETTY
      The Dutchman, however, recently insisted he was more happy in the Catalan capital.
      But he refused to commit his long-term future to the club, saying: “Possibly.
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      “But I’m very satisfied at Barca. It’s always difficult to say. For now, I feel good here.”
      He added: “I am in the club where I always wanted to be, where I dreamed.”
      De Jong and his Barcelona team-mates will be back in action on Saturday evening, travelling to Galicia to take on Celta Vigo. More