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      Ex-Man City star Brahim Diaz set to switch international allegiance despite scoring on Spain debut

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      FORMER Manchester City star Brahim Diaz has decided to ditch Spain and switch his international allegiance to Morocco.The 23-year-old AC Milan attacker represented La Roja from the Under-17s to the U21s.
      Brahim Diaz has opted to represent Morocco instead of SpainCredit: Getty
      Then, after a number of drop-outs due to positive Covid tests, he received a call-up to the senior squad in June 2021 for a friendly with Lithuania.
      Diaz marked his senior debut by scoring Spain’s second goal in the 4-0 win.
      He has yet to feature for them since and qualifies for Morocco through his parents, who were born there.
      Diaz resisted the urge to switch his allegiance to them before the World Cup last year, where the African nation reached the semi-finals.
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      However, journalist Lino Bacco claims he has now opted to continue his international career with Morocco, which he is able to do due to not playing competitively for Spain.
      And he added that “he will be with the squad when they next meet in March”.
      Diaz first played professional football for Man City as he made five Premier League appearances for the club between 2016 and 2019.
      City signed the winger from LaLiga side Malaga when he was only 16.
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      Despite his lack of consistent minutes, he had done enough to impress Real Madrid, as the Champions League holders splashed over £15million to bring him to the Spanish capital.
      But after one season, 15 league appearances, and one goal, Diaz was shipped out on loan to Serie A, where has finally cemented himself in the AC Milan squad.
      He has played 71 times in the Italian league and helped the club to the title last season. More

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      AC Milan among clubs monitoring Joao Cancelo as Portugal star falls down pecking order at Man City

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      AC MILAN are among several clubs monitoring Joao Cancelo’s situation at Manchester City.The Portuguese full-back’s Etihad career has stalled since returning from the World Cup last month.
      WC Milan are plotting a move for Man City’s Joao CanceloCredit: Getty
      And the 28-year-old has struggled to get regular games.
      He started the defeats against Southampton and Manchester United.
      But then he was an unused sub in the two games which followed.
      His only other start since the restart was the win at Chelsea – but he was hauled off at half-time by Pep Guardiola.
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      The City boss has opted to use youngster Rico Lewis and a centre back such as Nathan Ake as his full-backs recently.
      That has also seen Kyle Walker left on the bench for the more important games as his difficult season continues.
      Cancelo only signed a contract extension with City 12 months ago.
      He is currently tied to the club until summer 2027.
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      So it would need a huge offer to tempt the champions to sell a player who has been crucial to their recent success.
      Cancelo arrived at the Etihad from Juventus in 2019 and has played 98 times in the top-flight.
      During that period he has helped City to two Premier League titles and he also has a Carabao Cup winners’ medal in his collection. More

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      Liverpool now favourites in Jude Bellingham transfer race ahead of Real Madrid and Man City as Dortmund talks hot up

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      LIVERPOOL are reportedly the favourites to sign Borussia Dortmund sensation Jude Bellingham.The 19-year-old England starlet is one of the most sought-after names on the planet after a stellar World Cup.
      Jude Bellingham is expected to leave Borussia Dortmund in the summerCredit: Getty
      Bellingham has previously been linked with Liverpool, as well as the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester United and Manchester City.
      And it’s the Reds who are currently favourites to sign the midfielder, according to Sky in Germany.
      Anfield boss Jurgen Klopp is claimed to be “pushing” to sign Bellingham in the summer.
      The former Birmingham City man is Klopp’s No1 transfer target as he looks to overhaul an ageing midfield.
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      But Sky say Real Madrid and City are also targeting the teenager.
      However, Liverpool are claimed to be leading the race for his signature.
      Klopp is not reported to have spoken to Bellingham personally about joining the club, but the boss has spoken to Anfield transfer chiefs about signing the midfielder.
      SunSport exclusively revealed at the weekend that Bellingham is set to turn down a new Dortmund contract.
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      That will kickstart the auction for the highly sought after England international.
      Sky Germany claim Bellingham does not have a release clause in his Dortmund contract.
      As a result, the German club are set to demand between £88million and £132m for his signature.

      The Bundesliga outfit want to keep hold of their superstar midfielder for another season.
      Bellingham has netted 10 times in 23 games in all competitions for Dortmund this season, including a wondergoal in his first game back after the World Cup. More

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      Jude Bellingham transfer blow for Liverpool, Man City and Real Madrid as Dortmund announce plan to keep star for a year

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      DORTMUND have attempted to scupper the hopes of a host of Europe’s top clubs by announcing they plan to keep Jude Bellingham for another year.The England World Cup star, 19, is one of the most in-demand players in world football.
      Dortmund have revealed they want to keep Jude Bellingham this summerCredit: Getty
      Liverpool and Real Madrid are believed to be leading the chase for the midfielder, who is under contract until 2025.
      And the ex-Birmingham City ace is also on the wanted lists of Manchester City, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.
      It was reported earlier this week that Bellingham was in talks with both Madrid and Jurgen Klopp’s Reds over a summer transfer.
      The Bundesliga club have sold Jadon Sancho to Manchester United and Erling Haaland to City over the last couple of years.
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      They are desperate to avoid losing another key asset in Bellingham.
      And Dortmund boss Edin Terzic has urged his teenage ace to reject a switch to the Bernabeu or Anfield to stay with them next season and continue his development.
      He told The Athletic: “I believe that we need to work on keeping these young guys one year longer.
      “In my first season [as interim manager], I was able to put Jadon, Jude and Erling on the pitch, but that was their only year together.
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      “That was also partly due to Covid-19 and empty stadiums, there were financial considerations.
      “But if we can get to the point where it’s two or three years of such a trio, maybe we can break the mould.”
      Bellingham has been in top form for both club and country this term.
      He has nine goals and three assists in 22 appearances for Dortmund and has captained them three times also.
      The youngster also scored England’s opening World Cup goal in the 6-2 thrashing over Iran.
      Bellingham will be back in action for his club for the first time since the World Cup this weekend as the Bundesliga resumes following the winter break. More

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      Rico Lewis up for Man City fight after practising Thai Boxing from age of FOUR under ex-British champion dad’s tutelage

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      RICO LEWIS is one Manchester City player who will definitely be up for the fight in the weeks ahead.Pep Guardiola questioned this week whether his squad are in the right frame of mind for a title scrap with Arsenal in the second half of the season.
      When he was younger Lewis practised Thai BoxingCredit: Instagram @phoenixmuaythai
      Rico Lewis as a child with his coachCredit: Instagram @phoenixmuaythai
      Rico Lewis has been the surprise package of Man City’s season so farCredit: Getty
      He put in a strong game against Spurs
      Yet he knows he can count on 18-year-old sensation Lewis — who grew up practising Thai Boxing from the age of four under the tutelage of his former British lightweight champion dad.
      Lewis said: “That was just something I did when I was a bit younger. It probably helped me a lot with balance and agility and stuff like that.
      “My dad never did anything to do with football but now he is involved in it and he loves it just as much as I do now.”
      His dad is known as ‘Ku Rick’ at the Phoenix Muay Thai Boxing gym he runs on the outskirts of Manchester — and says young Rico was ‘amazing’ at Muay Thai in his early years before football took centre stage.
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      Maybe Tottenham midfielder Pierre Emile Hojbjerg did not realise — as he seemed determined to kick the youngster out of Thursday night’s game.
      Lewis said: “He just kept telling me he wasn’t meaning to do it — whatever that means. I didn’t really take much notice.
      “Every time he’d say that. It didn’t really make much sense.”
      Guardiola once again showed his faith in Lewis by picking him ahead of Kyle Walker for the crucial 4-2 win over Spurs.
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      He repaid that faith with a typical all-action display — while his superb block on the line from Ivan Perisic’s shot turned out to be a pivotal moment.
      City’s former Under- 18s skipper could not have envisaged at the start of the season he would be regularly keeping Walker out of the starting XI.
      But he says the England full-back has been a mentor to him, adding: “We’ve had talks about stuff and been pretty open about everything that happens between us like selection and things like that. I get on really well with him.”
      Here’s how City may line up against Wolves on Sunday More

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      Man City’s rivals will hope Pep Guardiola’s puzzling outburst spells the end for him but they shouldn’t get excited yet

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      PEP GUARDIOLA called Manchester City a ‘happy flowers club’ after their win over Tottenham on Thursday night.And the Etihad chief was certainly no shrinking violet as he made his feelings known about the attitude of his players and the fans.
      Man City’s rivals will be hoping Pep Guardiola leaves the clubCredit: Reuters
      It left fans of City’s rivals wondering if – and no doubt hoping – this could be the beginning of the end of Pep’s seven year stay in England.
      One of their old favourites Micah Richards even admitted the manager seemed like a man ‘at the end of his tether’.
      It appears everything is not rosy in the garden – but any supporters who would like to see the back of the former Barcelona coach shouldn’t get too excited just yet.
      Sure, it was a puzzling outburst from the 52-year-old – just over a day after he had said he himself was to blame for his team’s recent mini-slump.
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      His team selection was another head-scratcher as he left talisman midfielder Kevin de Bruyne on the bench as well as his two senior, recognised full-backs Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo.
      Yet – in the end – that proved to be a gamble that paid off for Guardiola with his team storming back to beat Spurs with four second half goals.
      And he will hope his decision to go public with some his grievances about players and fans being ‘too comfortable’ will pay dividends too ahead of a key run of fixtures.
      With a fully fit squad to choose from currently, he knows he can afford to rattle a few cages among his list of superstars and still have the quality in reserve to step in.
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      Several of the players who went deep into the World Cup have struggled to recapture their form and fitness since they returned just before Christmas.
      And he has known since the summer that hunger could be an issue for a group of players who have won four of the last five titles.
      After all, there’s a reason nobody has managed three in a row since Alex Ferguson did it across town between 1998-2001.
      As for his dig at the City fans, that is nothing new. The booing of his team at half-time – after everything they have achieved in recent years – clearly irked him.
      But he often throws the challenge down for them to turn out in numbers and turn up the volume and generally gets a response.
      Guardiola won’t be going anywhere just yet  – don’t forget he only signed a two year contract extension two months ago.
      It was only this week that he pointed out how he feels so settled at City because he is surrounded by his mates in the boardroom.
      And in the same interview, he vowed to come back stronger if his old apprentice Mikel Arteta pips him to the title this season with Arsenal.
      A clearly wound-up Pep said on Thursday he has no interest in being a ‘happy flower’ – but don’t be surprised to see him come up smelling of roses in May.   More

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      ‘Spurs bottled it’ – Brutal Jamie Carragher tears into woeful Tottenham defence after second-half meltdown vs Man City

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      JAMIE CARRAGHER tore into Tottenham for bottling a two-goal lead in the second half of their away trip to Premier League champions Manchester City.Dejan Kulusevski and Emerson Royal sent Spurs in at half-time with a healthy lead.

      Tottenham surrendered a two-goal lead in the second halfCredit: Rex
      Carragher says Spurs ‘bottled it’Credit: Sky Sports
      For once, Arsenal fans would’ve been thanking their North London rivals for denying title rivals City points, with Pep Guardiola’s men trailing the Gunners by eight at that time.
      Arsenal also hold a game in hand, and should they have won that IF Spurs did their job, the gap could’ve been extended to 11 points.
      However, a second-half meltdown saw Spurs surrender their two-goal lead within eight minutes of the restart.
      World Cup winner Julian Alvarez smashed home City’s first in the 51st before Erling Haaland ended his two-game goal drought in the 53rd.
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      Mahrez then grabbed a goal of his own just after the hour mark to hand City the lead.
      The Algerian wizard also added City’s fourth in added-time, putting the final nail in Spurs’ coffin.
      And ex-Liverpool and England defender Carragher has slammed Antonio Conte’s men for bottling the game.
      He said on Sky Sports: “You can call it naive, Spurs bottled it.”
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      Carragher also tore into Tottenham’s defenders AND captain Hugo Lloris, who is the man in between the sticks.
      Lloris has been shaky since returning from the World Cup and was beaten at his near post for Mahrez’s first.
      Carragher added: “He [Conte] can never rely on his back three, or back five or goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet. I always feel like they’re going to concede a goal.
      “He’s not going to change his tactics, this is what he does, he relies on a good strong base and having great attacking players on the counter-attack.
      “He’s got those great attacking players, but his goalkeeper and defenders are nowhere near good enough for a Conte team to be successful, and that’s where they’ve got major problems.
      “The goalkeeper at Tottenham right now, he’s been a good goalkeeper, but he has become a liability, they need a new goalkeeper for next season.
      “Antonio Conte is talking about taking them further, getting top four or challenging for big honours.
      “They need a new goalkeeper, need two centre-backs and a right wing-back and that’s not to come into the squad, that’s to play.”
      On the other side of the dugout, Man City boss Guardiola called out his own fans.
      Guardiola was unimpressed by their silence for 45 minutes.
      On what’s missing at City at the moment, he said: “Passion, desire, to win from minute one.
      “It’s the same for our spectators, our fans. They are so silent for 45 minutes.”
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      Guardiola added: “I want my fans back. I want my fans back in here. Not my away fans – my away fans is the best.
      “But my fans in here, we want support for every corner, their reaction and support, because we play, we cannot expect [to win] because Tottenham is one of the greatest opposition in how good they defend, how they are organised, how they make a build-up, how they link with Harry Kane, Kulusevski and Son, they make incredible switch of plays, the threat they have in every single moment is incredible.” More

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      Pep Guardiola blasts ‘lucky’ Man City and slams Etihad boo-boys in Spurs win before admitting: I don’t recognise my team

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      PEP GUARDIOLA TURNED on his players and fans despite a dramatic 4-2 comeback victory over Spurs.The Manchester City boss believes his team have gone soft after winning four of the last five titles and said he needs his home support back as well.
      The reigning champions got their title bid back on track following a 4-2 comeback victory against Tottenham, mainly thanks to a 12-minute blitz after the break.
      Pep Guardiola launched an angry attack on Manchester City fans and playersCredit: Reuters
      But City were staring down the barrel at a fourth defeat in 10 Premier League games at half-time.
      That’s because Dejan Kulusevski and Emerson Royal struck at the end of the opening period to put Spurs 2-0 ahead.
      And City were booed off.
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      But whatever Guardiola said in the dressing room worked as his side turned the game around instantly thanks to goals from Julian Alvarez, Erling Haaland and Riyad Mahrez.
      The Algeria star then made the points safe late on after a deft chip over Hugo Lloris.
      Asked what his team were lacking Guardiola said: “Guts, passion, fire, desire to win from minute one. The same with our fans, they are silent for 45 minutes.
      “We are far away from the team that we were. Not in terms of play, we played good in the first half, but here are many things in terms of competitiveness and what we have to do that we are far away.
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      “We have to do it but everyone is relaxed. In the Premier League, no way.
      “We have an opponent in Arsenal who have the fire. Two decades without winning the Premier League and every player knows they will be in history, like we felt when we won the first Premier League and broke all the records and went two times back-to-back.
      “We have to have the fire inside. I am explaining the reality, everything is so comfortable, but opponents don’t wait.
      “I don’t recognise my team, they (previously) had the passion and desire to run.”
      City cut the gap at the top to Arsenal to five points with the win.
      But Guardiola said: “We are far away from the team we had in previous seasons.
      “Do you think this comeback will happen every time? It won’t. Do you think we are going to chase the gap to Arsenal the way we are playing? No way.
      “I want a reaction from the players and staff. I do not want to be a ‘happy flowers team’.
      “I want to beat Arsenal but if we play that way Arsenal will beat us.”
      The Manchester City boss watched his team go two behind right on half-time through Dejan Kulusevski and Emerson Royal and were booed off at half-time.
      Guardiola said: “They booed because we were losing but not because we played bad – we played good. Maybe it’s like our team.
      “Maybe they are so comfortable winning four Premier Leagues in five years. And after we scored they react, but that is not the point.
      “I want my fans back. My fans in here. Not my away fans, my away fans are the best.
      “My fans here to support every corner, every action because we cannot expect. Tottenham is one of the toughest opponents I’ve ever faced.
      So we could not expect to be 3-0 up after 30 minutes.”
      City roared back through Julian Alvarez on 51 minutes, Erling Haaland two minutes later and then a brace from Riyah Mahrez in the 63rd and 90th minutes.
      The result increased the pressure on Spurs boss Antonio Conte who has now seen his side lose three of their last four Premier League games.
      Conte said: “We played a good game with personality, we put a lot of pressure on them. At the same time I’m disappointed because this is the first time in my career that my team conceded four goals in one half.

      “When I tell you that we have to try to reduce the gap, the process has just started and it means that you have to improve tactically, technically the experience of this team.
      “We conceded a goal in the second half then another after two minutes.
      “Usually when this happens, you have to be calm and to find solutions to pass ten minutes and breathe and then play. We conceded the second goal quickly. 
      “We were unlucky because after 2-2 we had a massive chance to score to go up. Instead we conceded another two goals.
      “We need patience and we need time to create something important. On one side I’m really disappointed because we concede four goals.
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      “We are conceding many more goals than last season. On the other side, with more attention and focus we are good because we played with personality and we created problems for Manchester City.
      “These games are important to understand the difference between us and other top clubs. In this moment, we have a lot of difference but we are ready to continue to work and fight.” More