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    Most lucrative shirt sponsorships in football with Man Utd falling below Real Madrid after £235m TeamViewer deal

    MANCHESTER UNITED have lost their place as the holders of the most-lucrative shirt sponsorship deal in world football.On Friday, the Red Devils announced global technology company TeamViewer will be their new shirt sponsor.
    Man Utd have slipped to second in the list of most lucrative shirt sponsors after joining forces with TeamViewer
    The two parties agreed to a huge five-year deal worth £235million.
    However, the bumper deal is worth £16m LESS per year than former partners Chevrolet.
    That means Man Utd have dropped below Real Madrid as the owners of the most-valuable shirt deal in the world.
    Previously, United raked in a whopping £61m per year from American car giants Chevrolet.
    Until this year, that fee was even higher – at £64m – with the figure dropping after United agreed to extend the deal until the end of 2021 with potential suitors scared off by the coronavirus pandemic.
    Unfortunately for the Old Trafford giants their deal came to an end at an awful time, with companies – and football in general – hit hard by Covid.
    United will therefore be thrilled to have agreed to a deal worth £47m per year with TeamViewer.
    The Red Devils may have dropped down the rankings, but not by far – now joint-second with Barcelona, whose deal with Rakuten is also worth £47m annually.
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    Paris Saint-Germain sit marginally behind them in fourth, with their contract with Accor valued at £43m per season.
    An incredible five of the next six clubs hail from the Premier League.
    Chelsea’s deal with Three sees them take home £40m per season – good for fifth on the list.
    Manchester City’s £39m-a-year contract with Etihad Airways sees them take the sixth spot.
    Bayern Munich come in seventh, with their partnership with T-Mobile worth £36m per season.
    Liverpool’s deal with Standard Chartered sees them edge out North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham.
    The Reds take home £27m per year, more than the Gunners (Emirates, £26m) and Spurs (AIA, £25m).
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    Man Utd boost as AC Milan suffer quadruple injury blow ahead of Europa League showdown but Ibrahimovic set to play

    MANCHESTER UNITED have been given a boost ahead of their clash with AC Milan – with the Italian giants missing FOUR key players.The Red Devils slipped to a 1-1 draw in the Europa League last-16 first-leg at Old Trafford.
    Rafael Leao is one of four absentees for Milan but Zlatan Ibrahimovic is back in the squadCredit: EPA
    Amad Diallo scored his first United goal just five minutes after coming off the bench to give his new team the lead.
    But Simon Kjaer scored a 92nd-minute equaliser to give Milan an all-important away goal ahead of the second leg at the San Siro.
    However, the Serie A side will have to make do without Ante Rebic, Alessandro Romagnoli, Davide Calabria and Rafael Leao.
    Stefano Piolo was given a major boost though after Zlatan Ibrahimovic was passed fit for the clash.
    The Swede veteran, 39, missed the first leg – and was expected to miss the second leg – with a groin injury.
    But he has been included in AC Milan’s 20-man group for the clash with United.
    Ibrahimovic – who ended his five-year international retirement earlier this week – played for United from 2016 to 2018 and scored 29 goals in all competitions before moving to LA Galaxy.
    Theo Hernandez and Hakan Calhanoglu will also return for Milan having missed the first leg.
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    Elsewhere, Diogo Dalot – on loan from United – is also in the squad and is eligible to play against his parent club.
    Dalot also featured in the first-leg draw at Old Trafford.
    Chelsea loanee Fikayo Tomori has also been named in the Milan squad for the second leg.
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    Premier League clubs put LaLiga sides to shame in Europe this season with stunning head-to-head record from six games

    ENGLAND 11 Spain 0. It’s not a score you would ever expect to see.But in 2020-21, Premier League clubs are beating LaLiga clubs by that very margin in European competition.
    Chelsea beat Atletico Madrid 2-0 on Wednesday to boost English clubs’ lead over Spanish teams this season to 11-0Credit: Reuters
    Man Utd have joined Chelsea in battering LaLiga sides in Europe this seasonCredit: AP
    For years, the English and Spanish top flights have tussled for supremacy in the race to be considered the best league in the world.
    But if this season was a boxing match, Spain would have thrown in the towel long ago.
    Premier League sides have come up against Spanish opposition SIX times in the Champions League and Europa League this term.
    And, thanks to some incredible showings from Manchester United and Chelsea, England are 11-0 up on their rivals.
    Chelsea beat Sevilla 4-0 away in the Champions League group stage in December having drawn October’s reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge 0-0.
    Man Utd then thumped Real Sociedad 4-0 – again in Spain – in the first-leg of their Europa League last-32 showdown on February 18.
    Five days later, Chelsea edged past LaLiga leaders Atletico Madrid 1-0 at the Wanda Metropolitano.
    United then drew 0-0 with Sociedad in the second-leg of their last-32 European tie.
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    PREMIER LEAGUE vs LALIGA: 2020-21
    Oct 20 – Chelsea 0-0 Sevilla – CL group stage
    Dec 2 – Sevilla 0-4 Chelsea – CL group stage
    Feb 18 – Real Sociedad 0-4 Man Utd – EL last-32 first-leg
    Feb 23 – Atletico Madrid 0-1 Chelsea – CL last-16 first-leg
    Feb 25 – Man Utd 0-0 Real Sociedad – EL last-32 second leg
    Mar 17 – Chelsea 2-0 Atletico Madrid – CL last-16 second-leg
    OVERALL – Premier League 11-0 LaLiga – all competitions

    Spanish clubs are losing 11-0 to Premier League sides this season in Europe with Atletico Madrid the latest to be KO’dCredit: PA

    And now Chelsea are basking in the glory of reaching their first Champions League quarter-final in SEVEN years after completing a 3-0 aggregate win over Atleti thanks to a comfortable 2-0 win at home on Wednesday.
    That means, in total, Premier League sides have scored 11 unanswered goals against their LaLiga rivals.
    Spain now have just ONE team left in the Champions League with Real Madrid flying the flag.
    Meanwhile, England have three representatives thanks to Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City.
    LaLiga have two teams left in the Europa League ahead of the second-leg of the last-16 ties, with Granada leading Molde 2-0 ahead of their away leg and Villarreal defending a 2-0 lead of their own at home to Dynamo Kiev.
    England still have three teams left in the competition, too.
    Man Utd head to the San Siro after a 1-1 first-leg draw against AC Milan, while Arsenal and Tottenham are strong favourites to progress.
    Arsenal beat Olympiacos 3-1 in Greece, while Spurs beat Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 in North London last week.
    Could there be more England vs Spain games to come? Stay tuned for the draws…
    Chelsea beat Atletico Madrid to reach the Champions League quarter-finals More

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    Man Utd ‘plot shock transfer for ex-Arsenal keeper Emi Martinez to replace David de Gea and Sergio Romero’

    MANCHESTER UNITED are plotting a shock move for Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to replace David de Gea and Sergio Romero, according to reports.The Red Devils are set to undertake a major overhaul of their goalkeeping department this summer.
    Man Utd are targeting a move for Emi Martinez this summer to replace David de Gea, say reportsCredit: Getty
    United are set to move on from Romero and De Gea this summer in a major overhaul of their goalkeeping ranksCredit: Getty
    Romero, 34, has long been linked with a move away after a public fall-out with the club following his failed loan move to Everton last summer.
    The Argentine is out of contract this summer and is almost certain to leave on a free.
    But Man Utd have also finally decided to call time on De Gea’s long spell at the club, according to Football Insider.
    The Spanish stopper, 30, signed a bumper new contract in September 2019 worth a staggering £375,000 per week until the end of the 2022-23 season.
    However, his form since has been rocky with United considering replacing him with Dean Henderson.
    United, though, are not pinning all their hopes on Henderson being their No1 for the future.
    The club are reportedly eyeing up moves for TWO goalkeepers to replace De Gea and Romero.
    And top of that list is Aston Villa’s former Arsenal stopper Martinez – who has kept 14 clean sheets in 27 Premier League games this term.
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    The Argentine, 28, only completed his £20million move to Villa Park last summer.
    But amid a sensational campaign which has seen the club fighting for a top-four place, United are considering a summer swoop.
    Reports claim Man Utd have set aside a ‘significant budget’ dedicated to bringing in a new-look pool of goalkeepers.
    United are looking to strengthen across the board, with a new centre-back and new central striker a priority.
    The club have been linked with the likes of Jules Kounde, Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos in defence, with Erling Haaland a top striking target.
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    Man Utd boss Solskjaer says trophies are for egos and it is Premier League which shows real progress for a team More

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    Man Utd ‘open talks’ with Nikola Milenkovic’s agent over £30m transfer for defender with Fiorentina ‘ready to sell’

    MANCHESTER UNITED have opened talks with the agent of Nikola Milenkovic over a £30million summer move – with Fiorentina ready to sell, according to reports.On Monday it was revealed United were clear favourites to land the Serbian defender, 23, with his suitcase ‘ready’ and the Serie A giants happy to sell for the right price.
    Man Utd are in contact with Nikola Milenkovic’s agent ahead of a £30m summer move, say reports in ItalyCredit: Rex
    And now the Red Devils have contacted Milenkovic’s agent in a bid to sort a move well before the summer window opens, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
    Milenkovic is under contract at Fiorentina until the end of next season.
    But with just a little over a year left on his current deal, the in-demand Serbian has reportedly told the club he has no intention of extending his contract.
    Milenkovic has also popped up on the radar of reigning Premier League champions Liverpool and Tottenham.
    But United are believed to have first kicked off talks with Milenkovic’s agent a YEAR ago – and easily lead the race for his signature.
    Man Utd are desperate to find an elite partner for £85m man Harry Maguire, despite club legend Rio Ferdinand saying it’s hard to trust the England man in certain situations.
    Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof have failed to impress Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with any regularity in recent months.
    And a number of players are being eyed ahead of a summer move, including Real Madrid duo Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos.
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    And with United so keen, Fiorentina are looking to take advantage by holding firm on their £30m valuation of Milenkovic.
    The Serie A side are set for a huge windfall after plucking him from Serbian outift Partizan for just £5m in 2017.
    The versatile defender is also comfortable at right-back and has made 25 league appearances this season, bagging three goals and one assist.
    Fiorentina have 29 points from 27 games in the Italian league and sit 13th after finishing last season in tenth.
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    Rio Ferdinand says Man Utd’s biggest concern with Harry Maguire is that they can’t trust him in one-v-one situations More

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    Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Bruno Fernandes is mix of three of his old Manchester United team-mates – including flop Veron

    MANCHESTER UNITED boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has likened Bruno Fernandes to three of his former team-mates including Juan Sebastian Veron.The 26-year-old has enjoyed a stunning first full season in England – chipping in with 23 goals and 13 assists in 43 games in all competitions.
    Bruno Fernandes has 36 goals contributions for Manchester United this termCredit: Getty
    Fernandes has been nothing short of a revelation since joining the Red Devils from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020.
    And he is on course to spearhead United to another top four finish, with the club currently sitting in second spot with nine games to play.
    His gaffer Solskjaer has been full of praise for the Portugal international when discussing the midfielder to MUTV.
    Solskjaer was asked by a fan on which player does Fernandes resemble the most from his playing and coaching days at the Theatre of Dreams.
    To which he said: “Bruno has the attributes of many of my team-mates, I feel.
    “Part of it is Juan Sebastian Veron, part of it is Paul Scholes, part of it is Eric Cantona.
    “So those are probably the three players. He has their attributes as a leader and a winner.”
    Solskjaer will be hoping Fernandes is firing on all cylinders on Thursday when United face AC Milan in their Europa League Round of 16 second leg tie.
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    Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Fernandes resembles his former team-mate Juan Sebastian VeronCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    The Italian outfit drew 1-1 at Old Trafford last week, as they scored a crucial away goal at the death thanks to Simon Kjaer’s 92nd minute equaliser.
    United chiefs are keen to tie Fernandes down to a new deal, but SunSport understands he is refusing to commit his future unless his demands are met.
    Fernandes wants assurances that United will be active in the transfer market in their bid to become a team challenging for every major honour.
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    Man Utd urged to break the bank to sign Declan Rice and Wesley Fofana this summer transfer window by ex-star Hargreaves

    MANCHESTER UNITED have been urged to prioritise the signings of Declan Rice and Wesley Fofana this summer by Owen Hargreaves.
    Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been linked with a host of big-name European stars this summer including Raphael Varane and Erling Haaland.

    Man Utd should target Declan Rice this summer, according to ex-midfielder HargreavesCredit: Rex Features

    Hargreaves reckons Man Utd should sign Fofana to partner Maguire in defenceCredit: PA:Press Association

    But former Old Trafford midfielder Hargreaves reckons United would be better served with a pair current Premier League stars.
    Rice and Fofana are both in demand amid excellent seasons at West Ham and Leicester respectively.
    England ace Rice particularly is on the radar of the likes of Chelsea, with Hammers boss David Moyes rating him at over £100million.
    But Hargreaves reckons he’s worth it, telling Premier League productions: “I think Rice’s upside is off the charts.

    “He has the potential to be anything and a lot better… I think he plays within himself at West Ham.
    “People don’t realise how big he is… he’s 6ft 3in, so he looks like a centre back but he’s actually really good technically.
    “I’m not a big fan of players who just play in there and pass it around, you have to stop players too.
    “Declan Rice doesn’t have to dictate the game for Man Utd, he can pass to the players who can make the difference and be good defensively.”

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    Owen Hargreaves has suggested Rice and Fofana as potential summer signings for Man UtdCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    And despite being linked with Varane and Real Madrid team-mate Sergio Ramos, Hargreaves believes Leicester youngster Fofana would be the perfect fit to complement Harry Maguire in defence.
    Hargreaves added: “I’d love to see Manchester United get Fofana… he’s a Ferrari, honestly.
    “I’d throw whatever they’ve got left in the bank to get him.
    “He’s a fabulous player.”
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