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      Thiago Silva ‘is willing to quit Chelsea despite signing new contract three months ago’ to make emotional transfer

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      THIAGO SILVA is reportedly pushing to LEAVE Chelsea even after signing a contract extension in February.Silva has apparently grown frustrated with the current situation at Stamford Bridge.
      Thiago Silva is reportedly keen to return to his former club FluminenseCredit: Rex
      According to Globo Esporte, the defender is now regretting his decision to sign a one-year contract extension with Chelsea three months ago.
      The Brazilian news outlet has said that Silva would scrap his Chelsea deal at the end of the 2022-23 campaign and return to his boyhood club.
      He apparently wants to agree a contract with Fluminense after seeing his good friend and fellow Brazil legend Marcelo sign one with them.
      The club, who are currently second in Brazil’s Serie A, are apparently also keen to pair the two up.
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      Globo Esporte claimed that the president of Fluminense Mario Bittencourt and former striker Fred have contacted Silva to encourage him to sign for the club before retiring.
      Silva has spoken about his wish to return to the Brazilian club, who he played for back in 2007-09, winning the Copa do Brasil.
      Speaking to TNT Sports, when asked about a possible return to the Brazilian the defender replied: “If I told you that I don’t think about it, I’d be lying to you.
      “It’s something that I think about, I already talked a few times with my wife.
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      “When you have a long career in Europe, your children grow up in Europe, this decision is difficult.
      “I do have this dream of returning to wear the shirt of Fluminense, everyone knows my desire.
      “But it’s something I prefer to leave in the future to see how things are going to happen.”
      It would probably be no surprise if the 38-year-old left Chelsea and tried with Fluminense to win the Copa Libertadores before hanging up his boots.
      Silva has been openly critical of Chelsea and the team’s situationCredit: Getty
      Silva has been a crucial figure in Chelsea’s defence since his move to the club in 2020 from Paris Saint-Germain.
      But, he has been openly critical of the situation at the club and its hierarchy, especially owner Todd Boehly.
      Back in April this year the defender was particularly dejected after being defeated by Real Madrid to exit the Champions League.
      He had to be consoled by interim boss Frank Lampard, and criticised the strategy of Todd Boehly after the match.
      Read More on The Sun
      Silva was disappointed with his team’s exit from the Champions League this year as manager Frank Lampard (L) tried to console himCredit: Alamy
      Silva was quick to defend Lampard, saying “The manager can only pick 11 from a squad of 30-something – that’s tough.”
      But he went on to lambast Boehly’s £600m transfer spree, saying: “We signed eight in January, we need to stop and put a strategy in place otherwise next season we could make the same mistakes.” More

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      Why are no Man Utd players playing at the Under-20 FIFA World Cup?

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      THE U20 FIFA World Cup is set to get underway NEXT WEEKEND in Argentina.Some of the world’s best young footballers will battle it out for the trophy.
      England players celebrate after defeating Venezuela 1-0 to win the final of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2017Credit: AP
      Ukraine were the winners last time out in 2019, beating South Korea in the final in Poland.
      England won the U20 World Cup back in 2017 with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring the winning goal against Venezuela in the final.
      Why are no Man Utd players playing at the Under-20 FIFA World Cup?
      Manchester United and Juventus have blocked youngsters from playing at the U20 FIFA World Cup.
      The footballing giants have all refused their scarlets to go to Argentina as the Premier League and Serie A will still be running during the beginning of the tournament.
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      Meaning United winger Alejandro Garnacho will not be involved in his native country.
      According to reports, the 18-year-old wonderkid was willing to miss the Red Devils clash with rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final to be at the U20 World Cup.
      Garnacho is reportedly close to returning from an ankle injury he suffered against Southampton in March.
      When is the Under-20 World Cup?

      The thrilling Under-20 World Cup will begin on Saturday, May 20 and conclude on Sunday, June 11.
      Group stage matches are scheduled to kick off at 7pm or 10pm UK time.
      While the knockout rounds start times alternate between 6:30pm and 10pm.
      There is set to be four different cities in Argentina which will host the games: La Plata, Mendoza, San Juan and Santiago del Estero.
      Hosts Argentina open the tournament against Uzbekistan while England feature for the first time on Monday, May 22 at Tunisia.

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      Who is in the England U20 squad?
      Goalkeepers: James Beadle (Brighton & Hove Albion), Matthew Cox (Brentford), Teddy Sharman-Lowe (Chelsea)
      Defenders: Callum Doyle (Coventry City, loan from Manchester City)*, Ronnie Edwards (Peterborough United)*, Bashir Humphreys (Paderborn, loan from Chelsea), Brooke Norton-Cuffy (Coventry City, loan from Arsenal)*, Daniel Oyegoke (Brentford), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Imari Hines-Samuels (Brighton & Hove Albion)
      Midfielders: Carney Chukwuemeka (Chelsea), Alfie Devine (Tottenham Hotspur), Sam Edozie (Southampton), Darko Gyabi (Leeds United), Aaron Ramsey (Middlesbrough, loan from Aston Villa)*, Alex Scott (Bristol City), Harvey Vale (Chelsea)
      Forwards: Liam Delap (Manchester City), Daniel Jebbison (Sheffield United), Mateo Joseph (Leeds United), Dane Scarlett (Tottenham Hotspur) More

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      Haaland wins FWA Footballer of the Year with massive 82% of vote – so who are the other 14 stars who journalists backed?

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      THE only surprise about Erling Haaland being named the Football Writers’ Association’s Footballer of the Year is that he did not get 100 per cent of the votes. The Norwegian has enjoyed a simply stunning debut season in England, scoring a record-breaking 35 Premier League goals already.
      Erling Haaland was named FWA Football of the YearCredit: Reuters
      The Norwegian has enjoyed a staggering debut season in EnglandCredit: Getty
      He may well be on course to help Manchester City win a fifth title in six years, too.
      So it is no wonder Haaland has secured the annual gong from the 400-strong British press pack.
      He picked up a whopping highest-ever 82 per cent of the vote to claim a landslide victory in the FWA award that was first given to Stanley Matthews in 1947-48.
      And in the process, the ex-Dortmund man became just the fourth player to be crowned in his first season in the Premier League – after City team-mate Ruben Dias, Jurgen Klinsmann and Gianfranco Zola.
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      Haaland – who added the Premier League Player of the Month award in April to go with his August win – said: “To win the Football Writers’ Award in my first season in English football is an honour.
      “I try every single day to be the best I can be, and to be recognised like this means a lot to me.
      “I have loved my time at City so far – my team-mates are incredible, and they provide me with the chances to score goals. I want to thank all of them, because I could not have won this award without them.
      “I also owe so much to Pep Guardiola and the team behind the team here at City. Everybody has been so good to me since I joined and I have never worked with such top professionals.
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      “Thank you to everyone who voted for me. It’s a real honour to have won this award. I am now focused on ensuring I finish the season as strongly as possible and helping City win trophies.”
      However, 14 other players were put forward and voted for to win the award – including a few surprising names.
      Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard completed the podium after their tremendous efforts for Arsenal this term in making them unlikely title challengers.
      Kevin De Bruyne was fourth and Marcus Rashford fifth.
      Harry Kane and Casemiro joined 2018 and 2022 winner Mo Salah, as well as City pair John Stones and Rodri, also got the nod from some reporters.
      As did Kieran Trippier as the captain of a Newcastle side closing in on Champions League qualification.
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      Alexis Mac Allister and Kaoru Mitoma have been instrumental in Brighton’s sensational campaign but it is their team-mate Moises Caicedo who was put forward for Footballer of the Year.
      Granit Xhaka has enjoyed a strong season in the Gunners’ midfield – enough to be nominated, too.
      England pair Declan Rice and James Maddison were both on the list after getting voted as the best player in the country in 2022-23 – despite West Ham and Leicester’s struggles to retain their top-flight status.
      Both men have been the standout players for their teams – Maddison has ten goals and nine assists.
      But the Foxes playmaker has come under criticism in recent weeks for a number of poor performances and errors as Leicester stare relegation in the face.
      His comments following the 5-3 defeat at Fulham also angered supporters, as the two-cap Three Lions man said: “In at half-time, I think it was 3-0 and you just give yourself too much to do – a mountain to climb from not being aggressive, not being at it, not being hungry enough to want to win the game.
      “To get yourselves out of trouble you need to do the basics well and be aggressive and fight. That’s why we’re down there, because we haven’t been good enough.”
      Read More on The Sun
      Fans, though, were barely surprised Haaland was the winner.
      Plenty reckon he could follow it up with the Ballon d’Or this year while others joked the likes of Harry Maguire, Mason Mount and Kai Havertz were “robbed”.
      Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard were second and thirdCredit: AP
      James Maddison got the nod from at least one journalistCredit: Reuters
      Kieran Trippier and Harry Kane were nominated for the gongCredit: Getty
      Marcus Rashford and Casemiro also got put forwardCredit: Reuters More

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      Said Benrahma & Ilkay Gundogan star in the best Dream Team XI of Game Week 33

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      OUT of hundreds of thousands of Dream Team gaffers, just one registered 100+ points in Game Week 33.Donna Joyce finished on 103 points thanks to West Ham’s Europa Conference League exploits, beating the odds in a generally low-scoring week to reach three figures.
      Let’s take a closer look at how the Liverpool fan achieved the feat…
      Hang on, where’s Erling Haaland?
      The first thing to note is that Joyce reigned supreme despite having Romain Perraud (£1m) in her XI.
      Not only does the French left-back represent Southampton, a Championship-bound team with a poor defensive record, he’s currently sidelined with injury.
      That misstep was offset by a return of 34 points from the Liverpool contingent at the back, Alisson (£4.4m) included.
      The Reds beat Brentford 1-0 on Saturday with Virgil van Dijk (£5.2m) providing a rare assist on top of his clean sheet – he sweetened the deal with a Star Man award to notch 14 points in all.
      It was the Dutchman’s second-best single-game haul of the season.
      Dream Team bosses everywhere expected plentiful points from Manchester City’s meeting with Leeds at the Etihad but Rodrigo’s (£3.5m) consolation goal wiped out the hosts’ clean sheet and several popular assets were rested ahead of the Champions League semi-final first leg.
      Donna, however, was among the 4.3% of gaffers who benefited from Ilkay Gundogan’s (£3.6m) brace.
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      A profitable week despite the penalty missCredit: GETTY
      The German midfielder scored two near-identical goals against Sam Allardyce’s side but he did squander a golden opportunity to bag a hat-trick from the penalty spot, which meant he pocketed 15 points instead of 28.
      The 32-year-old added another point at the Bernabeu as it was his pass that found Kevin De Bruyne (£8.7m) prior to the Belgian’s thunderbolt – though he failed to register a 7+ rating and received a yellow card.
      Backing Gundogan was a brilliant ploy but Donna’s true masterstroke came in the form of Said Benrahma (£3.8m).
      The Algerian winger, whose ownership is just 0.7%, scored the Hammers’ winner against Manchester United at the weekend before converting from the spot against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday night.
      Add in consecutive Star Man awards for 26 points in Game Week 33.
      Suddenly, Benrahma is among Dream Team’s top ten midfielders, nipping at the heels of Jack Grealish (£5.4m) and Kaoru Mitoma (£4.5m) ahead of him.
      Game Week 33’s top performer
      While it was a great week for West Ham, Danny Ings (£3m) was a punt too far as the 30-year-old poacher blanked having been limited to just a ten-minute cameo in the Europa Conference League.
      Both Mohamed Salah (£9.1m) and Harry Kane (£9.5m) went about their business in familiar fashion, scoring their respective teams’ winners for eight-point returns.
      The pair are the very definition of elite-level Dream Team assets who deliver season after season.
      But hang on, that means the best XI of the Game Week didn’t feature Erling Haaland (£10.4m) – remarkable!
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      Man City’s No9 blanked against Leeds and Real Madrid for an ultra rare goose egg – one assumes he’ll compensate with a hat-trick in Game Week 34.
      Excellent work, Donna, a massive total essentially achieved with nine men. More

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      Ex-Man Utd star Daley Blind offered shock transfer return to former club aged 33

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      EX-MANCHESTER UNITED star Daley Blind has been offered a return to his former club, according to reports.Blind, 33, starred for Man Utd between 2014 and 2018, making 141 appearances for the Red Devils.
      Daley Blind is in line for a return to his former clubCredit: Getty
      He played 141 times for Man UtdCredit: Willie Vass
      Blind has reportedly been offered a return to AjaxCredit: Getty
      Famed for his football IQ, Blind has enjoyed a trophy-laden career across Europe.
      The Dutchman now stars for Bayern Munich, having joined the club on a free transfer in January.
      However, Blind could now be in line for a return to Ajax with his contract in Munich expiring in the summer.
      According to Dutch outlet De Telegraaf, Blind has been asked by Ajax technical director Klaas Jan Huntelaar if he is open to returning.
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      Blind reportedly experienced issues under former boss Alfred Schreuder, prompting his departure in the last transfer window.
      The defender has had two previous spells at Ajax, coming through the club’s academy before transferring to Man Utd in 2014.
      After his spell at Old Trafford Blind returned to Ajax.
      Overall he has made 333 appearances for them, winning seven league titles, the Dutch Cup twice and Dutch Super Cup twice.
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      Blind shockingly collapsed during an Ajax friendly against Hertha Berlin in 2020.
      It came after he was diagnosed with a heart muscle inflammation in 2019.
      Following his collapse, Blind was fitted with a pacemaker and returned to football.
      As well as Ajax, De Telegraaf’s report claims he is “seriously considering” a move to Antwerp following a conversation between their director of football Marc Overmars and Blind’s father Danny. More

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      Joey Barton claims QPR were the ‘least favourite’ of his ex-clubs and he left Newcastle because he was a ‘mercenary’

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      JOEY BARTON has admitted QPR were the ‘least favourite’ of his old clubs and claims he only joined them as he was a ‘mercenary’ and took the highest wage on offer.The 40-year-old is currently managing Bristol Rovers after leaving Fleetwood Town in 2021.
      Joey Barton has revealed QPR are the ‘least favourite’ of his old clubsCredit: Getty
      The one-capped England international appeared on Robbie Fowler’s podcast to discuss his rollercoaster career, including his infamous training ground bust-up with former City team-mate Ousmane Dabo.
      And in an open and frank interview with the Liverpool legend, the controversial ex-midfielder held nothing back as he discussed his time at QPR.
      And he openly admits the 2011 switch from Newcastle to the capital was purely “a financial decision” rather than a playing one.
      Barton said: “QPR is probably my least favourite (of my ex-clubs). I didn’t really enjoy it, I shouldn’t have gone in hindsight.
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      “I left Newcastle and I fell out with Mike Ashley and I was looking for a new home and I was about to start a new family and it became, ‘Who is the highest bidder’.
      “I knew I was a mercenary at that point in terms of I wasn’t moving to push on and push up the table, I knew I was moving as a financial decision.
      He added: “So QPR was tough, the fans didn’t particularly like me and I’ve still got 80 per cent of the fanbase who don’t like me because I earned a lot of money even though I turned it around in the end and captained them to promotion.
      “Probably for me Newcastle is the closest connection to the fans I had.”
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      Barton left QPR to join Marseille on loan in 2012 but returned to the club and helped them win promotion to the Premier League in 2014.
      He made 99 appearances for them in total before leaving permanently to join Burnley in 2015.
      Barton had a brief spell at Rangers in 2016 before heading back to Turf Moor to finish his playing career under Sean Dyche. More

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      Manager legend Harry Redknapp claims Chelsea winning Champions League cost him Eden Hazard’s transfer at Spurs

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      HARRY REDKNAPP has revealed Tottenham came close to signing ex-Chelsea star Eden Hazard in 2012.The Belgian wizard joined the Blues from French side Lille in 2012 but then-Spurs boss Redknapp claims they were pipped to the post by their London rivals.
      Ex-Tottenham manager Redknapp revealed he came close to signing Eden Hazard during his time at the clubCredit: Darren Fletcher – The Sun
      The Belgian would go on to torment Spurs for seven years between 2012 and 2019Credit: Reuters
      Redknapp explained to Sky Sports how Chelsea’s Champions League triumph that year meant Spurs missed out on the now Real Madrid man – and instead watched him enjoy seven largely successful years in blue.
      He said: “I lost Eden Hazard, he wanted to come to Tottenham but he said he would only come if we got Champions League football.
      “We finished fourth that year, Chelsea finished sixth, they won the Champions League and we didn’t make it.
      “He ended up going to Chelsea.”
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      Spurs occupied third place for much of the 2011-12 season but a poor run of form saw them slip to fourth, causing them to miss out on Champions League football when Chelsea beat Bayern Munich on penalties to lift the trophy that year.
      Redknapp had hoped to team Hazard with Gareth Bale, who was starring for Spurs at the time during his first spell at the club, in a bid to end the north London outfit’s long wait for a league title.
      Bale would eventually return to Tottenham for a second stint in the 2020-21 season, before leaving Real Madrid for LAFC earlier this year.
      Redknapp, meanwhile, was sacked by Spurs following Chelsea’s Champions League win.
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      The 76-year-old was replaced by former Blue Andre Villas-Boas, with the Portuguese lasting 18 months at White Hart Lane.
      Redknapp went on to take charge of QPR for three years, before a brief stint managing the Jordan national team.
      His final job in management came at Birmingham City in 2017. More

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      Man Utd line up England keeper in summer transfer as De Gea replacement but want under-fire Spaniard to stay

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have lined up England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford if David de Gea leaves the club, according to reports. After 12 years at Old Trafford, De Gea’s contract with United is set to expire at the end of the season.
      David de Gea’s contract at Man Utd will expire at the end of the seasonCredit: Getty
      Jordan Pickford has been identified as the club’s new goalkeeper targetCredit: Getty
      The Red Devils are said to have offered new terms to De Gea with a significant wage cut.
      It is understood club bosses want to keep the Spaniard on reduced terms rather than lose him entirely.
      However, Erik ten Hag has set about trying to identify to a new No1 in order to turn the team into genuine title contenders.
      And according to the Daily Star, Ten Hag has identified Pickford for this position.
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      The 29-year-old sealed a contract with Everton running until 2027 earlier this season.
      But with the Toffees thrust into a relegation battle, Pickford would be expected to leave in the event of relegation.
      Even if Sean Dyche manages to guide the team to safety, United will still try to tempt the England No1 with a bigger wage package.
      The Star’s report states Anderlecht keeper Bart Verbruggen has also been sounded out by Ten Hag.
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      Bart Verbruggen has also been identified as a targetCredit: Rex
      The 20-year-old Dutchman has enjoyed a breakout season, earning his first call up to the Holland national team during the most recent international break.
      Six foot four inch tall Verbruggen has kept eight clean sheets in 17 Jupiler Pro League matches this season.
      De Gea’s latest error at West Ham left fans raging that they would “riot if he signs a new deal.
      And reports earlier this week suggested De Gea and United had reached an agreement to cut his wages by as much as £175,000-per-week. More