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      Joe Cole begs Chelsea to AXE 10 players in massive summer cull after £600m spent on transfers under Todd Boehly

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      JOE COLE has called on former club Chelsea to sell 10 PLAYERS this summer.The Blues were dumped out of the Champions League on Tuesday night as a 2-0 quarter-final second-leg defeat to Real Madrid saw them exit 4-0 on aggregate.
      Chelsea have endured a dismal first season under new owner Todd BoehlyCredit: Getty
      Chelsea cult hero Cole feels the club need a mass exodusCredit: Getty
      They have also slipped to 11th in the Premier League table, 17 points adrift of the top four.
      That is despite spending £600million across the last two transfer windows, bloating their squad to more than 30 players since the arrival of new owner Todd Boehly.
      Managers Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter have also been sacked this season, with Frank Lampard placed in interim charge until the end of the campaign.
      And Cole, who won three Premier League titles with Chelsea, feels reducing the size of the squad has to be a priority this summer.
      READ MORE ON CHELSEA
      When asked on BT Sport whether the absence of European football could be a plus for the Blues next season, he said: “It helped Antonio Conte’s team. Chelsea finished 10th and then won the league after Conte came in.
      “I’m not saying I think Chelsea are going to win the league next season – there’s more than enough strong teams above them – but without a doubt it will help the team.
      “But it will only help if Chelsea offload at least 10 players. I think at least 10 players need to be trimmed from the squad.”
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      Despite Chelsea’s dreadful campaign, former England striker Michael Owen does not believe the problems at Stamford Bridge are as serious as some fear.
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      But he agreed with Cole that a culling of the squad needs to take place.
      He said: “I don’t think there’s as many problems as you might think.
      “With a little bit of a clear-out, a smaller squad and some stability, it’s almost impossible to think they will finish in the bottom-half again next season.
      “They will bounce back and be a top-six team, I’m certain of that. All is not lost – they’ve got some great players, there’s a lot going for this club.
      “They just need to sort out some of these problems but it could be a lot worse.”
      Chelsea will look to end a run of seven games without a win when they host Brentford on Wednesday.
      Lampard has lost all four matches since taking interim charge earlier this month.
      Boehly has overseen a chaotic first 12 months as Chelsea ownerCredit: Alamy More

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      Ex-Everton star who had child sex case dropped could soon make international return, manager says

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      A FORMER Everton star could return to his international team after child sex offences were dropped against him.The Premier League star, who can’t legally be named, was held by police in July 2021 before being released on bail.
      The player could return to an international level
      Police revealed last week he will face no further action after the case was dropped.
      His international manager has now hinted at the player making a return if he wished to return to the club.
      He told local media: “He will have to decide for himself whether he wants to return to football and play again.
      “If he does, he will obviously be in my plans, if he maintains the same standard.
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      “We are very happy because his name has been cleared and these two years must have been hell for him.”
      The manager also branded his player a “nice boy” as he revealed he “felt for him” during the ordeal.
      Police were scrambled to the star’s home in July 2021 where “several items were seized”.
      Everton confirmed he had been suspended while police investigated the allegations.
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      In a previous statement, they added: “The Club will continue to support the authorities with their inquiries and will not be making any further statement at this time.”
      The alleged offences were described as “very serious” with a probe led by Greater Manchester Police’s Major Incident Team.
      It was then confirmed in February that the Crown Prosecution Service were probing whether or not to charge the International star.
      A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police told The Sun Online last week: “The investigation team and Crown Prosecution Service have been working together and reached the decision that the evidence available at this time does not reach the threshold set out on the Code for Crown Prosecutors.
      “Greater Manchester Police is committed to investigating allegations to secure the best possible outcomes for all involved and will continue to work with partner agencies to ensure individuals are supported throughout investigations and beyond.”
      Everton said previously the player had been suspended pending the probe More

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      Fact or Fiction? 7 Erling Haaland stats to test your knowledge of the striker’s Dream Team campaign

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      YES, it’s another article about Erling Haaland (£9.6m).But with good reason; the Norwegian poacher’s first season in English football has been truly extraordinary and nobody knows this better than Dream Team gaffers.
      But how well do you really know the mind-blowing numbers propping up this historic campaign?
      Time for a quiz…
      Here we will present seven stats and all you have to do is separate the fact from the fiction before scrolling down a little further to find out the answer.
      1. Haaland has scored more Premier League goals than Chelsea this season
      Prolific doesn’t even do him justice
      ANSWER: FACT
      Manchester City’s No9 has bagged 32 in the top flight at this stage which is two more than the Blues have mustered as a collective.
      This is truly incredible when consider how much Todd Boehly (and his predecessor) forked out to assemble the squad at Stamford Bridge which includes Raheem Sterling (£3.8m), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£3.5m), Kai Havertz (£3.8m), Hakim Ziyech (£2.2m), Joao Felix (£3.5m) and several other highly-rated attackers.
      2. Nobody has ever scored more goals in a Premier League season than Haaland has in 2022/23
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      Records are tumblingCredit: GETTY
      ANSWER: FICTION
      When the 22-year-old notched his 32nd league goal he drew level with Mohamed Salah (£8.3m) for most goals in a 38-game campaign but he still needs two more to equal Alan Shearer and Andy Cole’s record of 34, both achieved when there were 22 teams in the division.
      Of course, the key factor to consider here is that Haaland potentially has eight more fixtures at his disposal and so he’s likely to breeze past the legendary English strikers of old and break new ground in the coming weeks.
      3. Haaland has earned more points from his last five games than Aleksandar Mitrovic (£3.8m) has produced all season
      True or false?
      ANSWER: FACT
      Barring disciplinary issues, it’s generally accepted that Fulham’s No9 has been an effective target man for the Cottagers during their impressive return to the top flight.
      Mitrovic averages a league goal every 165.5 minutes this term and his performances, particularly in the first half of the season, are a big reason Marco Silva’s side look set for a top half finish.
      And yet his overall Dream Team tally of 96 points fails to match the 101 Haaland has plundered since March 14th!
      4. Haaland averages over twice as many points-per-game as the next-best Dream Team’s asset this season
      Part man, part machineCredit: GETTY
      ANSWER: FICTION
      The Etihad’s resident cyborg averages 9.8 points-per-game which is remarkable when you consider a goal and a 7+ rating returns eight points.
      This average puts him in a league of his own but it’s not quite double that of Marcus Rashford (£7.1m) who has ticked along at 5.8 points-per-game to amass 274 overall, a massive total by non-Haaland standards.
      However, Haaland’s average is comfortably double that of Bruno Fernandes (£6.4m, 4.4 points-per-game) which is saying something given the Portugal international is the best midfielder in the game right now.
      5. Haaland is on track to post the highest season points tally in Dream Team history
      Haaland is still active in three competitionsCredit: GETTY
      ANSWER: FACT
      Assuming Man City are able to convert their 3-0 first leg lead over Bayern Munich into an aggregate victory then Haaland will have at least two more Champions League fixtures on top of eight league games and whatever minutes he’ll get in the FA Cup semi-final/final.
      If he maintains his current average of 9.8 points-per-game then he will go past Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 477, achieved in 2007/08, a campaign that won the Portuguese superstar his first Ballon d’Or.
      93 points is a tough ask in the given time frame but given he’s added a century across the last five Game Weeks, it’s well within Haaland’s grasp.
      6. Haaland has more points than Harry Kane (£8.5m) and Ollie Watkins (£6.1m) combined
      Kane has played brilliantly for 222 points but Haaland’s on another planet
      ANSWER: FACT
      This stats underlines just how far the Norway international has ventured into the realms of the absurd because by normal standards both Kane and Watkins have been excellent.
      The two Englishmen have 37 goals between them in the Premier League alone (23 for Kane, 14 for Watkins) and are fourth and seventh in the Dream Team forward rankings respectively.
      And yet somehow their combined points tally of 376 is eight short of Haaland’s at this late juncture.
      7. Right now, Haaland is the most-popular player in Dream Team history
      When the hair goes up, the goals go inCredit: GETTY
      ANSWER: FICTION
      Read More on The Sun
      While his ownership of 74% is gargantuan, it falls just short of the peak Bruno Fernandes achieved a couple of seasons back.
      We’re guessing that those who went without Haaland at the start of the season gave up hope pretty quickly… More

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      Chelsea legend Joe Cole names his perfect next Blues manager and begs him to ‘come home’

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      CHELSEA legend Joe Cole has called on Carlo Ancelotti to return to Stamford Bridge as Blues manager.The Italian oversaw Real Madrid’s 4-0 aggregate win over Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-final this week.
      Joe Cole played under Carlo Ancelotti at ChelseaCredit: Graham Hughes – The Times
      And Ancelotti is reportedly on Chelsea’s shortlist of candidates to take over as permanent manager in the summer.
      The 63-year-old managed Chelsea between 2009 and 2011 and won the Premier League in 2010.
      Cole was part of that team and he is desperate for his former manager to return to West London.
      He said on BT Sport: “I love Carlo. He was actually one I thought could be on the list to come back here.
      READ MORE ON CHELSEA
      “If you ever want a manager to soothe a club and to just rebuild it…he might fancy the challenge.
      “I’m clutching [at straws] here, I’m clutching. Carlo please come home.”
      Todd Boehly is also a big fan of Ancelotti and could try to lure him back to the club.
      But the veteran boss played down talk of a comeback, despite admitting he is a fan of the club.
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      He said: “I have a fantastic memory of Chelsea. I am a supporter of the club. But go back? No.
      “I think Lampard is the right man and he will do a great job with them.
      “Lampard is a very good coach, he has a great team and he knows how to prepare big matches.”
      Asked about the Blues’ current situation, Italian Ancelotti added: “I am sad as I have fantastic memories and know a lot of people there.
      “I had two fantastic years there.” More

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      Forgotten Chelsea star admits he’s open to shock Premier League return after Blues transfer exit six years ago

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      CHELSEA hero Oscar hinted he is open to return to the Premier League just six years after his departure.The playmaker spent five successful years at Stamford Bridge where he won two Premier League titles as well as the Europa League and League Cup.
      Chelsea hero Oscar is keen on a Premier League return in the near futureCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Oscar enjoyed immense success at Chelsea as he won two Premier League titlesCredit: AFP – Getty
      Oscar now plays in China for Shanghai Port and is loving life in AsiaCredit: AFP
      However, the ex-Brazil international made the bold decision to try his luck in China when he was only 26 years old and joined Shanghai Port.
      The 31-year-old still plays in the Chinese Super League and is loving life in Asia.
      So much so that the Brazilian is not eager to come back to Europe any time soon.
      However, the ex-Internacional star admits a return to the Premier League would be “really cool.”
      Read More on Chelsea
      Oscar told Premier League Brasil when asked if he still has a dream of returning to Europe: “I don’t think so.
      “As I played for Chelsea for five years, I fulfilled my dream of playing for a big club in Europe. But if you paint something in a cool team, of course, we can think about it.
      “The Premier League is my favourite league. It’s where I played, where I adapt very well, there’s a game similar to mine, a dynamic and very fast game, so it was a league that I really enjoyed playing.
      “If I could go back to the Premier League, that would be really cool. I also like Italy, I have an Italian passport.”
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      Oscar amassed a total of 38 goals and 36 assists in 203 appearances at Chelsea.
      The versatile midfielder was one of the first major names to move to China and the league’s lucrative contracts.
      Oscar has registered a total of 52 goals and 95 assists in 176 appearances in Shanghai. More

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      I brought Pep Guardiola and Thomas Tuchel together for a six-hour dinner… it was like seeing Plato meet Socrates

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      FORMER Bayern Munich chief Michael Reschke has recalled the mesmerising moment when he brought Thomas Tuchel and Pep Guardiola together for dinner – and they talked football for six hours. The two managers will go head-to-head again tonight as Bayern look to overturn a three-goal deficit against Manchester City in the Champions League.
      Tuchel managed German club Mainz for five years before moving to Dortmund in 2015Credit: Getty
      Pep Guardiola has enjoyed some epic tactical duels with Thomas Tuchel over the yearsCredit: PA
      But when the pair are not crossing swords in the dugout they can get very deep in conversation about the beautiful game.
      When he was Bayern technical director, Reschke was set to have dinner with Tuchel who was then the up-and-coming manager of Mainz.
      He bumped into Guardiola on his way to the meeting and the Spaniard, who was Bayern boss at the time, requested to come along.
      Reschke tells the Mail: “You can imagine for someone who loves football, it was an unbelievable moment.
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      “We philosophised about tactics, the game in general and while I was mainly listening, I am certain there have been very few conversations of this level. It was like Plato coming to meet Socrates.
      “We had a brief ‘Hi, how’s the family? Good? Great … Let’s talk football.’ We were there for six hours.
      “They both have a photographic memory about games from years before. It’s phenomenal. Not just about one moment but how it unfolded, who passed to who, what it led to and why. Thomas was alive with questions.”
      Reschke adds that Tuchel was particularly interested in the infamous Chelsea v Barcelona Champions League game in 2009 when a late Andreas Iniesta goal took Guardiola’s side to the final.
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      The technical director said that the two managers “swim in football like fish in an aquarium”.
      Tuchel gave Guardiola plenty of problems when he was Chelsea boss with the German masterminding three wins over Man City in the final six weeks of the 2020-21 season.
      This included victories in the league, the FA Cup semi-final and the Champions League final.
      But it was Guardiola who was celebrating last week as City pulled apart the German champions in the first leg of their European clash last week. More

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      I’m a former Man Utd star and I once stole a girl from Cristiano Ronaldo

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      FORMER Manchester United goalkeeper Luke Steele revealed he stole a girl from Cristiano Ronaldo by telling her he was a “reserve” player.Steele and Al-Nassr superstar Ronaldo played together at United during the latter’s early stages at Old Trafford.
      Cristiano Ronaldo has experienced a lot of triumphs at Manchester UnitedCredit: AFP
      But Luke Steele handed Ronaldo a major loss when he stole a girl from himCredit: Getty
      CR7 went on to win five Ballon d’Or honours, three Premier League titles as well as five Champions League trophies and is considered by many as the best footballer of all time.
      Steele struggled for success after his hapless four-year stint at United, which saw him being loaned out twice to Coventry, and underwent a nomadic career as he played for 12 different clubs.
      However, the former England youth international has one major victory over the Portugal captain.
      Ands that is that back in the day the now 38-year-old stole a girl from the Real Madrid legend during a Christmas party.
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      The former Youth Cup winner sealed the deal by convincing her Ronaldo was part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s reserves shortly after his £13million move from Sporting Lisbon.
      Steele told UndrTheCosh three years ago: “I nicked a bird off him [Ronaldo].
      “It was on that Christmas do actually in the upstairs living room in Manchester.
      “He wasn’t at his best but he’s playing in the first team so give him some credit.
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      “I won the Youth Cup and he’d been bought for £13m so it was head-to-head as well.
      “Luckily, the girl didn’t know too much about football [so] she probably feels she missed out. She’d probably twist the story and say she got with him…
      “To be honest, I remember her going between the two during the night and she specifically asked me, ‘Who’s that Cristiano?’
      “And I just said, ‘Uh, he’s one of the ressie [reserve] players’.
      “But I remember after getting with her – I actually went out with her for a few months properly after that.
      “I remember her really emphasising on the fact that he wasn’t a reserve player and he was the main man.” More

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      Man City prepare new Erling Haaland contract after £150m transfer release clause ‘expires’

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      MANCHESTER CITY are readying a new contract for Erling Haaland following his impressive debut season in England, according to reports.The Norwegian ace joined City from Borussia Dortmund for £51.2million last summer.
      Erling Haaland has scored 47 goals so far this seasonCredit: Getty
      Such has been his instant success at the Etihad, that Pep Guardiola and Co are already happy to reward him with a new deal.
      According to The Athletic, Haaland’s City contract initially possessed a £150m release clause, which was due to kick in during the summer of 2024.
      The clause was directly linked to Guardiola’s future, and is claimed to have expired when the Spaniard signed his new contract last November.
      While it is not known if Haaland’s deal possesses other such triggers, City are eager to extend his time at the Etihad, amid links with Real Madrid.
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      The 22-year-old is very happy at City and has been impressed by the club’s ability to keep promises made to him during talks last year.
      Among these promises was a commitment to keeping him in tip top condition.
      Haaland suffered with numerous injuries during his time at Dortmund, missing 16 games last season.
      He has been far healthier this time around, missing only three games this term due to injury.
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      The 6ft 5in powerhouse has so far made 40 appearances during his debut campaign at City, plundering an astonishing 47 goals.
      Haaland returns to Germany tonight for City’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against Bayern Munich, with his side leading 3-0 from last week’s stunning first game at the Etihad.
      Should City progress as expected, they will face holders Real Madrid in the semis, following their 4-0 aggregate win over Chelsea. More