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      Eleven players you never knew played alongside ex-Arsenal star Ozil including current Man Utd ace and Newcastle flop

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      MESUT OZIL played with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso and Manuel Neuer in a distinguished career.But the 34-year-old, who announced his retirement today, also shared the field with eleven stars you would never have guessed he had played with.
      An XI of stars you never knew played with Mesut Ozil
      Ozil played with a young Casemiro at Real MadridCredit: Getty
      Ozil also lined up with Newcastle flop Joselu during his time at the BernabeuCredit: PA:Press Association
      For example, the Arsenal cult icon played one game in the same team as Jerzy Dudek while at Real Madrid.
      But before that Ozil started his career at German side Schalke 04, playing alongside ex-Barcelona star Ivan Rakitic.
      Ozil then signed for Madrid in 2010 from German outfit Werder Bremen in a £13million deal.
      And incredibly, his time at the Bernabeu also saw him play alongside current Premier League midfielders Fabinho and Casemiro.
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      Ozil played once alongside Liverpool ace Fabinho, and twice with Manchester United star Casemiro.
      He even lined up in the same team as Newcastle flop Joselu on two occasions for Los Blancos.
      After leaving Madrid, Ozil joined Arsenal in 2013 for £42.5million.
      His seven-and-a-half year spell at the Emirates saw him line up alongside a number of Gunners stars past and present.
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      Surprisingly, he even lined up in the same team as Bukayo Saka on 17 occasions.
      Current Emirates ace Saka made his Arsenal debut in November 2018, but did not become a regular until the 2019-20 campaign, the season before Ozil eventually left the club.
      Ozil also played alongside current Newcastle star Joe Willock at the Emirates, and lined up in the same team as flop signing Yaya Sanogo.
      Sanogo, now 30, spent four years at Arsenal and was shipped out on loan four times, but still managed to rack up seven appearances in the same team as Ozil.
      Although none of those names made it into Ozil’s best XI of players he played with at Arsenal.
      Ozil left the Emirates in 2021, joining Turkish side Fenerbahce.
      His time with the Turkish giants saw him play 22 times with Kim Min-Jae, with the South Korean defender now catching the eye at Napoli.
      Ozil enjoyed a successful career on the international stage, earning 92 caps for Germany and winning the World Cup in 2014.
      Read More on The Sun
      His Germany career saw him share the field three times alongside Bayern Munich defender Niklas Sule and nine times with Real Madrid star Antonio Rudiger.
      Other honourable mentions for players you never would have known Ozil played with include Enner Valencia and Papiss Cisse at Fenerbahce, Alvaro Morata at Real Madrid, and Pablo Mari, Chuba Akpom, Emi Martinez, Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah with Arsenal.
      Ozil played 254 games in a seven-and-a-half year spell with the GunnersCredit: PA More

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      Belgium name Premier League star as new captain after ex-Chelsea ace Eden Hazard’s international retirement

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      BELGIUM have named their next captain following the international retirement of Eden Hazard. Chelsea legend Hazard, 32, stepped down from national team duty following Belgium’s early exit from the World Cup.
      Eden Hazard has retired from international dutyCredit: Rex
      Kevin De Bruyne will take over as captainCredit: Getty
      Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne will take the reins in Hazard’s stead.
      Speaking to RTL-TVI television, De Bruyne said: “It’s an honour for me to be named and represent the country in this way.
      “I’m almost 32. I’ve never considered international retirement. I think I can still bring something to the table and help the youngsters.”
      De Bruyne has made 97 appearances for the Belgium national team.
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      He made his debut in 2011, and has gone on to score 25 goals while also adding a staggering 46 assists.
      Belgium have also confirmed Thibaut Courtois and Romelu Lukaku will be the nation’s new vice-captains.
      Domenico Tedesco, who succeeded Roberto Martinez as manager, will face Sweden and Germany in his first fixtures.
      The Sweden clash will see the Red Devils also kickstart their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.
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      Speaking in a video released on the Belgium National Team’s Twitter page, De Bruyne said: “It’s a proud moment to be captain of the national team.
      “I have been represeneting Belgium as a footballer for quite a long time.
      “To represent it in this way is an honour. I hope I can fulfil that role well.” More

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      Why has Mesut Ozil retired and what is his net worth?

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      FORMER Arsenal and Real Madrid midfielder Mesut Ozil has retired from professional football aged 34.The German has been recently playing his trade in Turkey for Istanbul Basaksehir.
      Mesut Ozil of Istanbul Basaksehir during the UEFA Conference League Play-Off Second Leg match between Royal Antwerp FC and Istanbul BasaksehirCredit: GETTY
      The 34-year-old moved to Turkey to play for Fenerbahce when he left Arsenal in 2021.
      Ozil joined the Gunners for £42m on one of the most memorable deadline days in Premier League history back in 2013.
      Why has Mesut Ozil retired?
      The World Cup winner has decided to retire due to his recent battles with injury.
      In a statement released on Ozil’s Instagram, he said: “Hello everyone, After thoughtful consideration, I’m announcing my immediate retirement from professional football.
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      “I’ve had the privilege to be a professional football player for almost 17 years now and I feel incredibly thankful for the opportunity.
      “But in recent weeks and months, having also suffered some injuries, its become more and more clear that its time to leave the big stage of football.
      “It has been an amazing journey filled with unforgettable moments and emotions.
      “I want to thank my clubs – Schalke 04, Werder Bremen, Real Madrid, Arsenal FC, Fenerbahce, Ba§akwhir and the coaches who supported me, plus team-mates who have become friends.
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      “Special thanks must go to my family members and my closest friends.
      “They have been a part of my journey from day one and have given me so much love and support, through the good times and the bad.
      “Thank you to all my fans who have shown me so much love no matter the circumstances and no matter which club I was representing.
      “Now I’m looking forward to everything that is in front of me with my beautiful wife, Amine, and my two beautiful daughters, Eda and Ela – but you can be sure that you will hear from me from time to time on my social media channels.
      “See you soon, Mesut!”
      What has Mesut Ozil won?
      The German has won some of the biggest prizes in the game of football.
      Here are all of the trophies Mesut Ozil has won during his career:

      1x FIFA World Cup with Germany.
      4x FA Cup winner with Arsenal.
      1x La Liga title with Real Madrid.
      1x Copa del Rey with Real Madrid.
      1x Supercopa de Espana with Real Madrid.
      1x DFB-Pokal with Werder Bremen.
      2x Community Shield with Arsenal.
      1x European U-21 Championship with Germany.

      What is Mesut Ozil’s net worth?
      The Arsenal legend has reportedly got at a net worth of £98million.
      He played for the Gunners up until 2021 and was on £19.5million a year, according to Forbes.
      Read More on The Sun
      Meaning Ozil was on a huge £375,000 a week during his last three-and-a-half years at the Emirates.
      In 2020 he was 49th on Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid athletes. More

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      Frankfurt tell Man Utd how much it will cost to land Randal Kolo Muani transfer.. and it’s close to Harry Kane valuation

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have been told Randal Kolo Muani’s price tag, according to reports.The Eintracht Frankfurt forward, 24, has been linked with a £105million move to Old Trafford in the summer.
      Randal Kolo Muani has been sensational for Eintracht Frankfurt this seasonCredit: Getty
      It comes during a stellar campaign for the French international – who has racked up 16 goals and 14 assists in 35 appearances.
      His sensational club form saw him selected in Didier Deschamps’ squad for the World Cup.
      And he went on to score in the semi-final victory over Morocco, before Emi Martinez denied him a dramatic winner in the final as Argentina lifted the trophy.
      Kolo Muani’s rapid rise has caught the attention of Man Utd as Erik ten Hag prepares to bolster his forward line in the summer.
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      Chelsea, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked with a move for him.
      According to Get Football News Germany, a bid in excess of £88m would secure his services – less than the £100m being mooted for fellow Man Utd target Harry Kane.
      He has a contract with Frankfurt until 2027.
      The Bundesliga side are wanting to reinvest in their squad as they fear Daichi Kamada, Evan Ndicka, Tuta, Jesper Lindstrom and Djibril Sow could all leave at the end of the season.
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      Frankfurt have been linked with a host of summer signings including Houssem Aouar, Dennis Geiger and Christopher Baumgartner.
      Meanwhile, Man Utd are expected to offload Anthony Martial as he continues to struggle with injury.
      Anthony Elanga has also been linked with a loan move away from Old Trafford.
      Harry Kane could finally depart Tottenham this summerCredit: Getty More

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      Liverpool’s forgotten man set to leave without playing a game after ‘dream’ loan transfer becomes a nightmare

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      LIVERPOOL’S forgotten man Arthur Melo is set to leave the club without playing a single Premier League minute.That is despite him declaring it was a “dream” to join the Reds last summer.
      Jurgen Klopp’s summer loan transfer signing has not worked out as plannedCredit: Alamy
      But it has turned into a nightmare, with just 13 minutes of first-team action in the 4-1 Champions League defeat to Napoli.
      He’s managed 243 minutes in the Premier League 2 and EFL Trophy.
      Arthur will undoubtedly go down as one of the biggest failures in Liverpool’s recent transfer history having paid Juventus £4million to take him on loan.
      There is an option to buy in the deal.
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      But as reported by Fabrizio Romano, the midfielder will leave Anfield and return to Juventus when his temporary contract expires at the end of the season, with the Merseysiders rejecting the chance to sign him permanently.
      Arthur said upon his arrival in England: “I’m really, really happy to be here wearing this great shirt with this famous badge that represents so much in world football. It’s a dream.
      “I’ve always wanted to experience English football, it’s the best league in the world in my opinion. That’s why I’m so happy to be here.
      “I feel ready, I’ve prepared a lot for this moment and now it’s here. Now it’s time to perform after all the hard work I’ve put in.
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      “I feel prepared and ready and I am eager to get started straight away.”
      But it has not worked out at all with Arthur an unused sub against Everton and Brighton at the beginning of the season before suffering a thigh injury in training.
      Jurgen Klopp confirmed it was “really serious” and the ex-Barcelona man required surgery, sidelining him until the New Year.
      He played in the Under-23s’ 7-1 thrashing of Leicester on February 25 and made the bench for the defeat to Bournemouth on March 11.
      But he has not featured for Klopp since the thumping defeat in Naples on September 7.
      And Arthur’s agent Federico Pastorello confirmed to Tmw: “He’s been unlucky with injuries, Arthur is now back but I think he will return to Juventus in July.”
      The Brazil international is one of three midfielders set to leave Liverpool this summer with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita also out of contract.
      James Milner’s deal is also up this summer while Thiago’s currently runs until 2024.
      Read More on The Sun
      It means Liverpool look destined to bring in a new midfielder.
      Jude Bellingham was the No1 target with Mason Mount an alternative if they miss out on the Borussia Dortmund ace, as expected.
      Arthur Melo has spent virtually the whole season on the sidelinesCredit: Getty More

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      I’m a Chelsea reject who could afford £5bn Man Utd takeover as I am worth more than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi

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      NOT many people could afford to buy Manchester United single-handedly.But one Chelsea reject could stump up the cash for a £5billion takeover.
      Faiq Bolkiah is an ex-Chelsea youngster who could afford to buy Man UtdCredit: Getty
      The midfielder stands to inherit the Sultan of Brunei’s £16bn fortune
      Bolkiah now plays in Thailand’s top flightCredit: Getty
      That’s because he is worth more than football superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi combined.
      Faiq Bolkiah, 24, spent two years playing for Chelsea between 2014 and 2016.
      The ace is the nephew of the Sultan of Brunei.
      And Bolkiah is heir to a stunning fortune worth £16BILLION.
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      That’s a lot more than the combined £1bn net worth of Ronaldo and Messi, the two biggest names in football.
      And Bolkiah would have plenty of change to spare if he decided to meet the Glazers’ asking price for United this month.
      The two frontrunners are Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and British business Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
      And there is no indication the Bruneian royal family intends on joining the process.
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      Indeed, Bolkiah is still early in his football journey.
      He joined Southampton’s academy in 2009 at the age of 12 after being spotted at AFC Newbury.

      Bolkiah then had trials at Reading and Arsenal, where he played in the 2013 Lion City Cup.
      However, he finally landed a youth contract when Chelsea came in 2014.
      Bolkiah spent two years with the Blues’ reserves before joining Leicester on a four-year contract.
      The midfielder was then released and allowed to join Portuguese side Maritimo.
      He now plays in Thailand’s top division with Chonburi.
      And Bolkiah has already clocked up six caps for Brunei’s national team.
      But he dreams of returning to England after admitting leaving Leicester for Portugal was a mistake.
      Bolkiah said: “Maritimo said to me ‘you’ll come here, you’ll play’ so I said ‘I just want to be here for a year. The main thing for me is I want to play.’ Obviously, that didn’t happen.
      “I definitely regret moving there. I feel like there was a lot of politics to do with it as well, why Maritimo wanted me. I didn’t feel like they were being fully honest.
      “It definitely made me stronger. It definitely made me work harder and keep my head down. That didn’t change for sure. But I definitely made the right decision to leave.
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      “I had another two years left on my contract there. They changed presidents at the time, I went in there and they understood my situation.
      “It wouldn’t have done me or the club any good for me to be there longer.” More

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      Ex-Chelsea star Kenedy reveals shock new look after getting huge tattoo on top of his head

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      FORMER Chelsea ace Kenedy has revealed a bold new look after getting a tattoo of Jesus on his HEAD.The Brazilian winger, 27, had been on the Blues’ books for seven years after arriving for a fee of £6.3million from Fluminense.
      Ex-Chelsea ace Kenedy has revealed a new tattoo of Jesus on his headCredit: Instagram

      But he made just 30 appearances for Chelsea during that period and scored just three goals.
      He has spent most of his time away on loan having spells at Watford and Newcastle.
      In total he went out on loan five times – including last season when he was back in his homeland playing for Flamengo.
      However, the Samba star is hoping to finally put down firm foundations in one location following last summer’s move to newly-promoted Real Valladolid – who are owned by Brazilian legend Ronaldo.
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      He has suffered a difficult start to life in LaLiga, where he has previous experience following loan stints with Getafe and Granada, due to fitness issues.
      Two groin injuries have limited him to just four cameo appearances so far this season.
      Now it looks like he is hoping for some help from above in order to get back on track with an incredible piece of ink work.
      The club’s Twitter account revealed Kenedy’s latest tattoo, which covers his full head, showing the image of Jesus.
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      That joins the long-list of ink works he already has on both arms and legs.
      And after the image of him back in training was shared, one fan commented: “Mamma Mia, more ink than a squid.”
      Another asked: “Could this guy be any more tattooed?”
      While another tweeted: “I love this head very much, I hope Valladolid is saved.”
      Valladolid are currently sitting 16th in LaLiga, two points and two places above the drop zone with 12 matches to go.
      Kenedy left Chelsea for Real Valladolid last summerCredit: Getty More

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      Using this season’s Dream Team points to select England’s starting XI – Solly March makes the cut!

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      CAN you believe that Gareth Southgate has picked (insert a player you don’t like) over (insert a player from your club in decent form) again? The man’s clueless!Now that’s out of the way we can get down to the (un)serious business of selecting a hypothetical England XI using this season’s Dream Team points.
      Generally, we let the players’ current totals determine the line-up but we had to intervene on occasion to ensure the team adopted a semi-realistic structure – for example, Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.3m) misses out despite being among the top four defenders in terms of points because it would be ludicrous to select him as a centre-back.
      Let’s get into it…
      GOALKEEPER: Aaron Ramsdale (£3.7m)
      All smiles when you’re top of the leagueCredit: GETTY
      In reality, Jordan Pickford (£1.9m) is the Three Lions’ No1 but the Everton custodian is just the fourth-best asset in his position among his compatriots.
      Nick Pope (£4.2m) leads the way but we’ve omitted him because he has withdrawn from Southgate’s squad with an injury concern.
      And so it’s Arsenal’s keeper who takes the gloves for us by virtue of his 86 points – 35 short of Pope’s tally but 40 more than Pickford has mustered.
      Ramsdale is neck-and-neck with the Newcastle man in the race for the Golden Glove with both having contributed to 12 clean sheets in the Premier League so far this campaign.
      DEFENDERS: Kieran Trippier (£5.8m), Ben White (£4.3m), Dan Burn (£4.3m), Luke Shaw (£4.4m)
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      Unlucky to miss out?Credit: GETTY
      Trippier (195 points), Shaw (128) and White (128) actually make up the podium places among Dream Team defenders this term, suggesting England have the luxury of in-form players at their disposal in defence.
      In reality, Southgate has overlooked Arsenal’s No4, much to the bewilderment of the Emirates faithful.
      White has predominately played as a right-back in recent times but he’s a centre-back by trade so he can easily slide into the middle for the purposes of this exercise.
      It’s a similar story for Burn too who used to play as a centre-back alongside White at Brighton but now occupies the left-back slot in Eddie Howe’s frugal back four.
      The clean sheets may have dried up for the Magpies in recent weeks but they still boast the best defensive record in the league and the 6ft 7in defender’s total of 112 points remains highly impressive.
      Interestingly, Southgate’s long-established first-choice partnership of John Stones (£5.6m) and Harry Maguire (£4m) are nowhere near our line-up.
      MIDFIELDERS: Bukayo Saka (£5.3m), Phil Foden (£5m), James Ward-Prowse (£3.6m), Solly March (£3.8m)
      Saka is in tremendous formCredit: GETTY
      Okay, here’s where we get really funky.
      4-4-2 is the best formation if we hope to forge a semi-realistic line-up.
      Saka is nailed-on at right wing as they only Premier League player with 10+ goals and 10+ assists to his name at this stage of the campaign.
      Arsenal’s No7 has been inspirational in his side’s title challenge this season and his tally of 172 points (helped by a haul of 20 at the weekend) makes him the third-best midfielder in Dream Team right now – only Kevin De Bruyne (£7.6m) and Bruno Fernandes (£6.2m) are above him in the rankings.
      Foden is fourth in the list having plundered 152 points overall despite a relatively barren run after the World Cup when affected by injuries.
      The Manchester City wonderkid will be our No10 meaning Ward-Prowse will have to sit.
      Southampton’s skipper has done brilliantly to amass 99 points given his side’s place in the table (20th) and of course he’ll be on free-kicks.
      March madness!Credit: GETTY
      Lo and behold, March is our other winger having registered 115 points, only seven midfielders have produced more to date this term.
      Brighton have entertained under Roberto De Zerbi’s guidance and we certainly don’t mind the idea of England borrowing a piece from the Seagulls’ enterprising set-up – Southgate’s side are prone to risk-adverse football which can frustrate fans.
      The elephant in the room here is Jude Bellingham, who isn’t subject to Dream Team scoring while an employee of Borussia Dortmund.
      A quick check of WhoScored suggests the talented teenager would have earned seven Star Man awards this season which is equal to Erling Haaland’s (£9m) tally…
      FORWARDS: Harry Kane (£7.8m, Ivan Toney (£6.3m)
      England’s top marksman
      Marcus Rashford (£6.7m) would have led the line for us had he not also withdrawn from the squad with an injury problem – he’s amassed a whopping 256 points, the most of any Englishman.
      As a result, we’re aligned with reality with Kane as the focal point and you’ll get no complaints from us – Tottenham’s season is collapsing as the conclusion draws nearer but their all-time top scorer has pulled his weight and more.
      The 29-year-old has 23 goals in all competitions with 21 coming in the league – only runaway poacher Haaland has more domestically.
      Kane has produced 205 points and is once again on track to finish among the very best Dream Team assets of the season.
      Last but not least, a deserved place for Toney, who should have made his actual England debut a while ago.
      Brentford’s top scorer has 17 goals and five assists in 27 appearances this season for a return of 155 Dream Team points.
      Read More on The Sun
      Here’s the full team presented through the prism of classic Football Manager graphics…
      Unlikely…Credit: SHAREMYTACTICS
      There’s slim to nil chance you’ll see this line-up in reality but the Dream Team rankings must be respected – are you reading, Gareth? More