Premier League

LEICESTER  are making a shock move for the young Argentinian centre-half Valentin Gomez.The Foxes hope to agree a bargain deal around £8million for the Velez Sarsfield defender.Valentin Gomez, right, is a transfer target for LeicesterCredit: GettyRuud van Nistelrooy wants to stamp his mark on his Foxes squadCredit: GettyGomez, 21, has been a first-team regular for a couple of seasons.Velez Sarsfield finished top of the 2024 Primera Division, well clear of both River Plate and Boca Juniors.Gomez was also captain of the Argentina Under-20s national team, for whom he has racked up seven caps.Now Leicester want to bring the 5ft 11in ace over to England to bolster their push to avoid relegation.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLRuud van Nistelrooy has stuck with experienced duo Conor Coady and Jannik Vestergaard as his first-choice centre-half pairing since taking over from Steve Cooper.That has seen Wout Faes and Caleb Okoli dropped to the bench while young academy graduate and England U20 star Ben Nelson is on loan for the season at Oxford United. Leicester found their summer business limited after promotion due to the possibility of a points deduction for Profit and Sustainability Rules breaches. However, with their lawyers getting the Foxes off the hook and Van Nistelrooy in the dugout, the Dutchman will be keen to bring in some faces of his own.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSSunSport revealed Miguel Almiron could be a loan target.The Newcastle attacker is out of favour at St James’ Park.Leicester stars party in nightclub next to ‘Enzo I miss you’ sign hours after Chelsea loss on night before Cooper sackedAnd that has prompted interest from Leicester as well as fellow strugglers Crystal Palace and Wolves – plus Marseille and Stuttgart overseas. Van Nistelrooy could also raid his former club Manchester United with another swoop.SunSport understands 20-year-old midfielder Toby Collyer could be the subject of a loan bid from Leicester when the transfer window reopens. Jannik Vestergaard and Conor Coady have been the first-choice pairing under Van NistelrooyCredit: GettyGomez, right, helped Velez Sarsfeld win the Argentine top flightCredit: AFP More

MARCUS RASHFORD has again been left out of Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United matchday squad.The forward, 27, will not feature as the Red Devils take on Bournemouth this afternoon.Marcus Rashford has been dropped by boss Ruben AmorimCredit: GettyRashford has now been left out entirely for three matches in a row, not even making the bench in United’s last two games against Manchester City and Tottenham.His most recent appearance came in the 2-1 Europa League win over Viktoria Plzen on December 12, where he was hauled off for eventual matchwinner Rasmus Hojlund after 56 minutes. Asked about Rashford after Thursday’s 4-3 defeat at Spurs, Amorim said: “We are better with Marcus Rashford, that is simple, and we will try different things to push Marcus to the best levels he showed in the past.”This kind of club needs big talent and he’s a big talent, so he just needs to perform at the highest level and that is my focus. I just want to help Marcus.READ MORE ON MAN UTD”Nothing has changed. We believe in Marcus. Marcus is a player of Manchester United, so there’s no change.”Per the MEN’s Tyrone Marshall, Rashford is in attendance at Old Trafford this afternoon.Earlier this week, Rashford gave an unauthorised interview during a surprise visit to his old primary school.He said: “Personally, I think I’m ready for a new challenge and the next steps.”Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSSunSport understands that some members of United’s squad were left unhappy with Rashford’s interview.Last month, The Sun reported that Rashford had been going on dates with Love Island star Grace Jackson.Ian Wright’s impassioned defence of Marcus Rashford against fans ‘desperate to see him fail’Yesterday it was revealed that Grace has ended their relationship.A source said: “Grace realised that Marcus wasn’t serious about her and has unfollowed him on Instagram.“She realised there was no future so she has decided to cut ties.“When the opportunity arose to take part in Love Island All Stars this winter Grace jumped at the chance, she is still young in her career and is keen to maximise the exposure to help with her modelling work and net campaign deals.“If she finds love on the show that’s a bonus, especially since she didn’t meet a suitable match in the summer.“As far as she is concerned it’s Marcus’ loss, she is putting her best foot forward and can’t wait to enjoy some winter sun in gloomy January.”Rashford is under contract with United until the summer of 2028.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Red Devils could allow the forward to move on loan to a team outside the Premier League in January.Teams in Spain, France and Germany are all monitoring Rashford’s situation ahead of next month’s transfer window.Rashford, 27, had been on dates with Grace JacksonCredit: GETTYWhy Rashford joining Arsenal is perfect fitBy Martin LiptonMARCUS RASHFORD is at a crossroads.But now the England star has to make the biggest choice he has ever faced – does he care about cash, or about his career?Rashford’s shock admission that he is “ready for a new challenge” after some two decades under the Manchester United umbrella has altered the dynamic around his future.That Rashford might not fit the blueprint of Ruben Amorim – who has now responded to Rashford’s comments – was not exactly a surprise.The Portuguese coach prefers a 3-4-3 formation but appears to have settled on Rasmus Hojlund as his starting central striker and wants two “narrow” inside forwards, with the width coming from the wing-backs.Rashford has always wanted to play through the middle but is often at his best exploiting spaces out wide – and that skillset does not necessarily suit the way Amorim wants to play.Even so, going public with his evident dissatisfaction at being bombed entirely from the squad for the Manchester derby was a major move, even if he vowed there would be “no hard feelings” if he does leave his boyhood club.In truth, Rashford has been leaving United almost from the moment he signed that new £325,000 per week contract in 2023.Something was broken in his connection to the club. His form dropped, his threat dissipated, his issues with the hierarchy deepened.When Erik ten Hag dropped him for hosting a birthday party after a derby defeat, and he later pulled a sickie to miss the FA Cup game with Newport, it felt even then that the writing was on the wall.The facts suggest the love affair has ended. After scoring 30 in all competitions to earn that new deal, he has scored just 15 in the 18 months since it was signed.Amorim’s arrival seems merely to have accelerated what was increasingly inevitable.Now, though, it is up to Rashford to determine what his future will bring.If it is only about the money, then his options might be somewhat limited.It is hard to see a Prem rival coughing up the same £16.9m annual salary – although Rashford’s comments have probably knocked £20m-plus off any transfer fee, even next month.But Real Madrid have their fill of big-money strikers and Barcelona’s budget remains restricted by La Liga financial controls.In Europe, then, that probably leaves PSG – but a move to a one-club league.Or, in the wider world, he could follow the likes of Ivan Toney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Roberto Firmino and Co and head to the Saudi desert.Lucrative, yep. Certainly a different environment – and that may be exactly what Rashford both wants and needs. But the football? Not in a million years.What Rashford needs, above all, is to be able to play for trophies and showcase his talents.There is no better stage than the Premier League – which has far more global eyeballs on it than any other domestic competition.And in that Premier League there is one club crying out for a goalscoring No 9, especially if he can also play down the left channel to balance out the side and widen its threat.Rashford has always been more Longsight than London.Yet Arsenal, and Mikel Arteta, might be the perfect fit.The Gunners’ lack of a proper scorer is one of the major factors many fans feel has hurt their title challenge this year.Gabriel Jesus has never been a natural finisher, while Kai Havertz is still a converted midfielder.And while the link-up between Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka makes their right flank deadly, faith in Gabriel Martinelli on the left is waning.There have not been too many who succeeded at Arsenal after leaving United – although Danny Welbeck was not a flop.Rashford has all the attributes to change that history, if he can reproduce what everybody knows is inside him.And by breaking free, giving himself the chance to start all over, Rashford can make a point to Amorim that will resonate for a very long time. 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ERLING HAALAND claims he is to blame for Manchester City’s dismal slump.The £51.4million Norwegian striker insists the players still have total faith in under-fire boss Pep Guardiola — despite a NINTH defeat in 12 games yesterday.Erling Haaland admits he is to blame for Man City’s poor seasonCredit: GettyThe striker insists the squad remain behind Pep GuardiolaCredit: GettyAnd City’s No 9 confessed: “I haven’t been good enough and haven’t delivered for City this season. I have to do better.“I’m looking at myself, I haven’t been doing things good enough, I haven’t been scoring my chances. It’s not good enough from me.”Haaland, 24, has scored a phenomenal 108 goals in 122 City games — but has found the net just once in his last six.He added: “We’re not able to win matches any more, we can’t control them like we used to.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“We used to control them way more. But in defining moments I’m failing to score and I’ll do everything I can to turn this around.“We know how important confidence is and it affects every human being.“That is how it is, we have to stay positive even though it is difficult.”This is the worst run of ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola’s entire managerial career.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSBut Haaland added: “We still believe in him. He has won the Premier League six times in seven years, so we’ll never forget that.“He will find the solutions. He has been doing that every single year.Man City manager Pep Guardiola sings song for Barcelona’s 125th birthday“We have to work harder than ever. We just lost a game, another one.”Defeat leaves the four-in-a-row champions sixth in the table — NINE points behind leaders Liverpool, who have TWO games in hand.Goals from Jhon Duran and one-time Etihad hopeful Morgan Rogers put Villa two-up. Before Phil Foden opened his account for the season with a late consolation goal.Guardiola admits there is no defence for his side’s shocking form but does not blame Haaland.He said: “I don’t agree with him. Without Erling we would be even worse.“But I do like players to be that way.  It’s our only chance to get better.“There are two options — I judge myself, the only other situation is blame.“I don’t agree with Erling as he tried and he needs to be delivered the ball in the right spots.“I have never pointed at players in nine years because it would be easy for me to do that.“We dropped as a team in the second half but not from any particular player.“Now we must recover. We are struggling to score and are conceding goals.“We don’t have a defence for it and the results are not good.“It’s not about me, it’s about what we can do to get the results back.”READ MORE SUN STORIESVilla chief Unai Emery admitted his side sensed City were low on self-belief.He said: “We did fantastic with the chances we created. While the confidence was increasing for us, the confidence for them was going down.” More