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      ‘I can’t have Bukayo saying that…’ – Jack Grealish reveals hilarious moment with Saka during England training

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      JACK GREALISH has revealed he jokingly confronted Bukayo Saka after the pair linked up on England duty.Manchester City man Grealish, 27, and Arsenal star Saka, 21, have both been selected in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the Three Lions’ upcoming games against Italy and Ukraine.
      Bukayo Saka and Jack Grealish have a good friendshipCredit: Getty
      Grealish and Saka are both in the England squad for this month’s gamesCredit: Getty
      The pair of forwards are rivals at their clubs – with Man City and Arsenal battling it out for the Premier League title.
      But they have built a strong friendship during stints away with the national team.
      And Grealish hilariously had to have a word with Saka about being bumped off the ball when they met in the Premier League last month.
      Speaking to The Times, he said: “I’m playing for City on the wing, he’s playing for Arsenal on the wing and we’re both going for the Premier League.
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      “But that is another thing that the manager here at England has done so well.
      “We feel like a group of team-mates that are together. Back at your club, you’re rivals but everyone just clicks here.
      “He’s a great lad, Bukayo. In the game the other week, I went past someone and then me and him went shoulder to shoulder.
      “I thought, ‘He [the referee] has got to give it as a foul’, because I can’t have Bukayo saying that he bodied me.
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      “I pulled him up on that this morning and he said it was never a foul!”
      Grealish has received 29 caps for his country, scoring two goals.
      Saka has earned 24 caps for England, netting seven times.
      And the pair will be hoping to start when Southgate’s men face Italy on Thursday, particularly following Marcus Rashford’s withdrawal from the squad.
      Other options for the England boss include Harry Kane, Phil Foden, Ivan Toney and James Maddison. More

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      Ivan Toney could cost Brentford £1million during England’s games against Italy and Ukraine

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      LEAGUE ONE side Peterborough United will receive a hefty £1million from Brentford should Ivan Toney make his England debut this week.The Bees, who are pushing for a top six finish in the Premier League, splashed out £6m for the striker to Posh three years ago.
      Ivan Toney is hoping to finally make his England debut this weekCredit: Getty
      The Brentford striker could end up costing the club another £1m if he doesCredit: PA
      He has since gone on to help fire them to promotion and take the top-flight by storm.
      Toney, 27, has scored 28 goals in 58 appearances for the club and produced nine assists.
      As part of the package that took him to West London, Peterborough negotiated a number of lucrative performance-related add-ons.
      A number of those have already been paid – although one still remains.
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      Last year we reported how their director of football Barry Fry had revealed they would net a tidy sum from an England debut for Toney.
      Now the Daily Mail are claiming that the figure will be £1m, which would take his total transfer fee to £9m.
      This is actually the second England call-up for Toney – who could face a lengthy ban in the near future for alleged breaches of the FA’s gambling rules.
      The forward, who is the Premier League’s third top scorer this term, was an unused member of the squad for the UEFA Nations League fixtures against Italy and Germany.
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      Now both he – and undoubtedly Peterborough – will be desperate for him to go one better and win that elusive first cap over the upcoming days.
      England take on Italy in Naples on Thursday in their next European Championship qualifier.
      They then face Ukraine at Wembley on Sunday as they attempt to move a step closer to securing a place at the tournament in Germany next year. More

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      I’m an ex-Premier League star who retired at 21 – I binged booze and cocaine for 25 years and am surprised I’m alive

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      AN ex-Premier League star who retired at 21 after binging alcohol and drugs has turned his life around – and said he is surprised to still be alive. Billy Kenny was once one of the most exciting young prospects at Everton and was the best player on the park during the Premier League’s first Merseyside Derby.
      Billy Kenny was briefly the star of Goodison Park before his career went into a downwards spiralCredit: Getty
      Billy Kenny played in the Merseyside derbyCredit: Alamy
      But things would quickly unravel for the star and he would make just 17 appearances for the Toffees before being moved on.
      Kenny, who had the world at his feet at 19, struggled with drinking amid football’s heavy booze culture that was still around when he made his breakthrough in the early 90s.
      Issues with injury, depression and drugs contributed to his downfall.
      The star had wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, Billy Kenny Sr, who played at Goodison Park between 1971 and 1974.
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      Now 49, Kenny told the Liverpool Echo how the dream of playing for Everton quickly became his sole purpose.
      He said: “Growing up on Burly [Burlington Street], wanting to play for Everton. That was it. That was all I ever dreamt of. In the ‘80s there were a lot of kids on the street playing football then.
      “Back in the ‘80s we only had a ball. Everyone wanted to either play for Everton or Liverpool. As soon as I found out my dad had played for Everton – I must have been about seven – I couldn’t believe it.
      “Naturally I wanted to play for them. I think I wanted it worse than any Everton player ever – the desire, the dream, the nightmares – and that derby game everyone goes on about, that was the dream. That was it.”
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      Kenny would break into Everton’s first team from their reserves and made his debut against Coventry in October 1992.
      But his big moment would come in December when he was named man of the match in a game against Liverpool after an influential performance from midfield.
      The Reds took the lead in the derby thanks to Mark Wright before goals from Mo Johnston and Peter Beardsley handed Everton local bragging rights.
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      But the glory would not last long as Kenny quickly fell into a drinking problem and became dogged with injuries which required operations, keeping him on the sidelines and away from the pitch.
      He would leave Everton before trying in vain to revive his career at Oldham and Barrow, making only a handful of appearances for both.
      Kenny retired at 21 and fell into a spiral over the next two decades.
      He said: “I was drinking for 25 years and on cocaine for 25 years as well.
      “I am talking absolutely non-stop. I am surprised I am alive. I was just getting up, boom boom boom, two day bender, get my head down and go on a three day bender, two days of sleep, have a Chinese then back on it.”
      He added that the “worst bit” was the embarrassment it caused for his mum and dad, with his “ashamed” dad not wanting to leave the house “for years”.
      The death of his mother Bella provided the former footballer with the inspiration to turn his life around.
      He said that now he is “sober and great” and is reflecting on mistakes he made.
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      Kenny got to writing during the Covid lockdown and put his incredible story into words as a cautionary tale for younger players.
      His work is being turned into a stage play at Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre.
      Billy Kenny dreamed of playing for Everton but could not sustain his career after early successCredit: PA More

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      Chelsea star had to Google who Enzo Fernandez played for before he made record £106m transfer

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      CHELSEA star Enzo Fernandez burst onto the scene at the World Cup, triumphing with Argentina as one of their key players.After scooping the Young Player of the Tournament award in Qatar, he was snapped up just a month later by the Blues for a British record £106million.
      Enzo Fernandez joined Chelsea in January after a sensational World CupCredit: Rex
      Departing Benfica, he was the last signing in a £300m January spree from Chelsea owner Todd Boehly.
      And one of his team-mates at Stamford Bridge, Marc Cucurella, has revealed he did not know which club Fernandez played for while he was tearing it up at the World Cup.
      Speaking to ESPN’s Sports Centre, Cucurella said: “I liked to watch matches in which my friends were playing, so I was watching Argentina because of Alexis [MacAllister].
      “I think I said, ‘I really like number 24 [Fernandez], he’s very good!’ But I didn’t even know where he played! I had to go and search on my phone!
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      “As I watched more games, I told my family and friends that I really liked him a lot. And then he came to Chelsea!
      “I told Enzo that I had liked him at the World Cup. He’s a good guy, I’m waiting for him to cook me a barbecue.
      “He is very young, but he is very talented with the ball and he is intelligent.
      “He’s still adapting but he’s already played some good games. We have [signed] a great midfielder.”
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      Fernandez has hit the ground running at Chelsea with two assists in his opening seven matches.
      His highlight moment came when he dinked a delightful ball over the top for Kai Havertz to finish in their 3-1 win over Leicester.
      Speaking about Fernandez after the victory, manager Graham Potter said: “He’s a fantastic player, a young player.
      “I think he’s going to get better and better when he’s with us more. He’s just arrived to a new country and a new league so you always have to adapt to that.
      “You can see his quality, when he gets the ball he passes forward. He sees everything.”
      Fernandez is now preparing for Argentina’s international friendlies against Panama and Curacao.
      Marc Cucurella did not know who Fernandez played for during the World CupCredit: Getty More

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      Chelsea outcast Aubameyang could have contract ripped up for second time in career to seal summer transfer

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      PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG could have his contract ripped up for the second time in the space of 18 months this summer.Aubameyang left Barcelona on transfer deadline day last August and joined the Blues following a £10m deal between the two clubs.
      Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could reportedly be released by Chelsea this summerCredit: Rex
      But the former Arsenal star’s return to London has quickly developed into a nightmare.
      He has fallen well out of favour since Thomas Tuchel was sacked days after his arrival and has since only managed 123 minutes of football without starting a single game this year.
      The Gabon international was also axed from Graham Potter’s Champions League squad after Chelsea’s huge January spending spree.
      And all of this has led to Spanish publication SPORT claiming that “everything indicates that he could be released this summer” by the Blues.
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      Aubameyang is under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2024 and currently earns £160,000-a-week.
      We reported yesterday how Barcelona are keen on bringing him back.
      That was after Aubameyang was pictured celebrating with his former team-mates in the dressing room after their 2-1 triumph over Real Madrid in Sunday’s El Clasico.
      The forward still has an excellent relationship with the Blaugrana stars, especially Ousmane Dembele with whom he played at Borussia Dortmund.
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      Barcelona manager Xavi is also keen on the ex-Arsenal star as his 13 goals in 24 appearances during the second half of last season sealed Champions League qualification.
      His move there came after Arsenal agreed to terminate his contract there in order to get him out of the club. More

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      Bournemouth star David Brooks scores a hat-trick on his first start since his cancer battle

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      DAVID BROOKS hit a hat-trick on his first start since his cancer battle.The Bournemouth ace, who had a cameo at Aston Villa last weekend, netted three in a 45-minute outing as the development side beat Portsmouth 5-2 in the Hampshire Senior Cup.
      David Brooks came on after 536 days on the sidelines following his cancer battle as a second half substitute against Aston Villa last weekendCredit: PA
      Brooks netted his treble by bundling in the first from close range before a strike with both his left and right foot in front of the watching Cherries boss Gary O’Neil at the Vitality Stadium.
      Bournemouth’s official twitter account tweeted: “The perfect return for @DRBrooks15.
      “The winger netted a hat-trick for the development squad this evening.”
      It was the first time Brooks has scored since August 2021 when he found the back of the net against Nottingham Forest.
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      The 25-year-old has battled back from his Stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis in October 2021.
      But the Wales attacker revealed he was ‘cancer free’ last October.
      After 529 days, Brooks was in the Bournemouth matchday squad and an unused sub against Liverpool earlier this month.
      Then Brooks, who has 21 Welsh caps, came off for the final 11 minutes of the Cherries’ 3-0 Prem defeat at Villa Park on Saturday.
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      But Brooks will hope his goalscoring return can provide a personal boost ahead of the season run-in and a possible Wales return for Euro 2024 qualifiers in June.  More

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      I wolfed down 16 scoops of ice cream on my Home Alone 2 holiday, then Pep subbed me on two days later… I was knackered

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      JACK GREALISH ticked a major item off his bucket list by visiting the locations of his favourite film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.Now the England and Manchester City midfielder is hoping his team can finally achieve something at the top of everyone’s list — the Three Lions to win a major tournament.
      Jack Grealish believes he’s in the form of his life due to extra confidenceCredit: Getty
      Jack Grealish is a huge fan of Macaulay Culkin in the Home Alone movies
      Grealish ordered 16 scoops of ice cream on room service on his New York holiday… just like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone 2Credit: Kobal Collection – Shutterstock
      Grealish goes into the Euro 2024 qualifiers, starting with tomorrow’s big clash against Italy in Naples, in the best form of his career.
      The ex-Aston Villa midfielder has been box office after the World Cup, which included a pre-Christmas trip to the United States where he visited all the filming spots of the 1992 film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
      Grealish is a fan of Macaulay Culkin who rose to fame as Kevin McCallister and the £100million star even stayed in the Plaza Hotel hotel where the film was set.
      He said: “It was a little bucket-list moment for me.
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      “I stayed in the hotel and you could get some mad room service, like 16 scoops of ice cream — like what he got in the film. I’ve got an addictive kind of personality!
      “I love that film, man. Someone had told me about the tour so we went round Central Park. I felt like a right little tourist.
      “I was in the back of a horse-drawn carriage thing and every now and again someone would say: ‘I swear that’s Jack Grealish’. I was saying: ‘Mate! Quick! Speed up!’
      “It was good to have a few days off. It was difficult going out of the World Cup. I thought we played so well in the whole of the tournament.
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      “People who I play with, who were there with other countries, told me they thought we were going to win it, which is a credit to us.
      “Going out in the quarter-finals in the way we did, it was a game we could have won. So obviously it wasn’t the best.”
      And after his mountain of ice cream, Grealish was shocked to be called into action again so soon after the break by Pep Guardiola at City.
      He said: “The manager gave us eight or nine days off.
      “I didn’t actually do a lot of running or anything because I just felt I needed a little break.
      I thought, ‘There’s no chance I’ll be involved’. Then in the f***ing 70th minute Pep Guardiola tells me, ‘Jack, you’re going on’. I was like, ‘F***ing hell!’ because I was blowing out of my arse!Jack Grealish
      “We went to New York and then I went back into training on the Wednesday and we were playing Liverpool on the Thursday in the Carabao Cup on December 22.
      “I thought, ‘There’s no chance I’ll be involved’. Then in the f***ing 70th minute Pep Guardiola tells me, ‘Jack, you’re going on’. I was like, ‘F***ing hell!’ because I was blowing out of my arse!
      “Luckily we went on to win. I just didn’t think I’d be involved.”
      City beat Liverpool 3-2 in that cup match and since then, Grealish has clearly grown as a player.
      But he wants to contribute even more for England.
      He made five sub appearances in Qatar but did not start a game.
      And Grealish is hoping England can finally deliver  at a major tournament.
      Grealish believes his face finally fits at the Etihad and hopes it will lead to more England starts with Harry Kane and CoCredit: Getty
      Grealish looks to be enjoying himself as he poses with photos for fans at the England training centre at St George’s Park in BurtonCredit: Getty
      Tomorrow, they face Italy, who beat them on penalties in the final of Euro 2020.
      Grealish, 27, said: “We have come close so many times.
      “The last three tournaments have been a semi-final, a final and then the quarters.
      “It is obvious what we want to do and  we are getting better and better. The players are coming through and playing with so much confidence.
      “I feel like the next one really could be our one.
      “Everyone will be in their prime. I actually feel old at the moment but, when I think about it, I will only be 28 at the Euros.
      “It’s no secret we all want to win a tournament — and I do think it is there to be done.”
      Grealish has played 45 games in all competitions for club and country this season — making 28 starts for City.
      He said: “I was speaking to Rio Ferdinand and he asked me, ‘Are  you doing anything different?’ ‘I’m actually not’, I said.
      “I genuinely can’t put my finger  on what it is. I feel I am in the best form, especially since I moved to City.  
      “If you were to ask me one thing I probably would say confidence. At the moment, I just feel a bit like I did when I was at Aston Villa.
      “I feel like one of the main players, it is the fittest I have been, especially since I have been at Man City.
      “That comes down to playing a lot of games on the bounce and playing in big games.
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       “Just making an impact really, scoring against Arsenal and Manchester United, getting assists at Chelsea away and then Arsenal at home in the Cup, big games like that.
      “I’m really confident at the moment.” More

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      Tottenham working on compensation deal to sack Antonio Conte as Ryan Mason waits in wings to take over as interim boss

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      TOTTENHAM chief Daniel Levy is believed to be negotiating a compensation deal with Antonio Conte before sacking the Italian boss.And first-team coach Ryan Mason is on stand-by to take charge for the rest of the season.
      Ryan Mason is set to take interim charge if Antonio Conte is sackedCredit: AFP
      Conte is on his way out of TottenhamCredit: AFP
      Harry Redknapp is interested in returning to Spurs to work with MasonCredit: PA
      Spurs are expected to fire Conte this week after SunSport revealed some stars want the Italian axed after he accused them of being ‘selfish’ in an astonishing rant following Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Southampton.
      First-team coach Mason, who replaced Jose Mourinho in 2021 for seven games, looks set to get a chance to shine once again.
      And Harry Redknapp, who was Tottenham manager between 2008-12, says he would be willing to help Mason, who is expected to include Chris Powell, Jermain Defoe and Michel Vorm in his backroom team if he is called upon.
      Redknapp, 76, said: “Yeah of course, I would love that. If someone asks you, it would be hard to say no. It’s the challenge, you love it, the buzz of it, winning a game is a fantastic feeling.
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      “I often think there is room for older people to go in and work with a young manager, even if it was only for a couple of days a week just to be around.
      “They can bounce ideas off you – that’s important. It’s a difficult job and when you’re young it’s important to have someone experienced there with you. It’s a lonely job and you need all the help you can get.”
      Redknapp has had no contact with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, who is believed to be working on a compensation deal for Conte – back in Italy for a few days – and his six members of staff yesterday while Mason, 31, took training.
      But after seeing golden oldies Roy Hodgson, 75, and Neil Warnock, 74, return to the dug-out with Crystal Palace and Huddersfield, Redknapp admitted it would be difficult to turn down an approach.
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      Redknapp told talkSPORT: “If someone asks you, I think it would be hard to say no, I’ll be truthful. When you love it, you do find it hard to say no, as Roy and Neil would agree.
      “You look at what you’re doing now, sitting around, having a game of golf, and it’s not the money, it’s the challenge, you love it, the buzz of it, winning a game is a fantastic feeling. It’s hard to say no.”
      Ex-Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino is keen to return but Levy is believed to be a fan of Fulham chief Marco Silva and Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou while Eintracht Frankfurt chief Oliver Glasner has also been linked.
      Meanwhile, Spurs midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has taken a swipe at boss Conte by telling him to be “more precise” with stinging criticism.
      Hojbjerg yesterday became the first player to publicly air his frustration at Conte’s blast.
      Hojbjerg said: “You do what you can to please him. What I do know is I’m an honest player, who always gives 100 per cent for the team.
      “If that’s how he sees it, then you have to be a little more precise in order for you as a player to take it to heart. Sometimes the waves go high in football.
      The Dane added: “We’ve all seen it. He gave a very honest and very open press conference. It is because he is not satisfied.
      “You don’t do that if you’ve reached the quarter-final of the Champions League and if you’re in the semi-final of the FA Cup.
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      “It comes from the fact that, unfortunately, we did not get the results we as a team and club wanted. We are still where we want and need to be in the Premier League. But yes, it’s hard.
      “I understand that if you want to be successful as a team, you need 11 men who are committed to a project and a culture. But he has to elaborate on how he feels before you as a player can start measuring and weighing.” More