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      Man Utd ‘determined to sign Harry Kane this summer as Ten Hag makes England captain top transfer target over Osimhen’

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      MANCHESTER UNITED boss Erik ten Hag has made Tottenham talisman Harry Kane his No1 target, according to reports.SunSport exclusively revealed this week that United are growing increasingly confident they will land the Spurs striker this summer.
      Harry Kane could finally depart Spurs this summerCredit: Getty
      Their recent disappointments mean another season without silverware is guaranteed for England captain Kane – who has never won a major trophy.
      And with his contract up at the end of the 2023/24 season, a departure from his boyhood club seems more likely than ever.
      United have also been linked with Napoli sensation Victor Osimhen.
      But, according to Manchester Evening News, Ten Hag has prioritised Kane to reinvent his attacking line-up this summer.
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      Man Utd, who look set to qualify for the Champions League, are hoping to beat Bayern Munich to Spurs’ record scorer, with the Bundesliga champions also interested in signing him.
      Kane has scored 268 times in 428 appearances for Tottenham, including 20 already this season.
      He attempted to leave the club in 2021 but Spurs chief Daniel Levy blocked him from joining Manchester City.
      Now, though, the forward has more bargaining power given he is preparing to enter the final 12 months of his contract.
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      United have been linked with pursuing a number of other forwards at the end of the season.
      They include Osimhen, who has netted 21 goals in 26 games this term.
      Benfica’s Goncalo Ramos and Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus are other potential acquisitions.
      In order to bring in a new attacker, Ten Hag is expected to sell Anthony Martial.
      The Frenchman, 27, has contributed just 14 goals in his last three seasons and remains incredibly injury-prone.
      Victor Osimhen has been linked with a move to the Premier LeagueCredit: Reuters More

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      I met my wife because Premier League manager kept sticking me on the bench – I wanted him to come to our wedding

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      JULEN LOPETEGUI was almost named Sergio Oliveira’s best man after benching him while at former side Porto.The midfielder has claimed that being benched by the Spaniard turned out to be the “best thing” ever as it allowed him to meet his wife.
      Sergio Oliveira met his wife, Cristiana, after being benched by manager Julen LopeteguiCredit: Instagram @cristianagpereira
      The couple met at Porto’s stadiumCredit: Instagram @cristianagpereira
      They have been married since 2019Credit: Instagram @cristianagpereira
      Oliveira almost asked Lopetegui to be his best manCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Oliveira married Christiana Pereira in 2019 after meeting while he was out of the Portuguese outfit’s side.
      The 30-year-old only featured three times while Lopetegui was manager of the club.
      But it turns out he’s very grateful – and almost gave the boss an important role at his wedding.
      In an Instagram Q&A, Oliveira wrote: “I met my wife at Estadio do Dragao.
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      “Thanks to Lopetegui who always left me on the bench. Best thing ever. 
      “I was close to inviting him to be the best man at the wedding.”
      The midfielder has since made the move to Turkey and is playing for Galatasaray.
      Lopetegui left Porto in 2016 after a year and a half in charge.
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      He went on to manage Spain as well as Real Madrid and Sevilla before joining his current club Wolves this season.
      However, his tenure as Spain’s boss ended on a sour note as he was sacked just one day before the 2018 World Cup in Russia after it was announced he would take over at Madrid following the tournament.
      Oliveira only played three times under the now Wolves managerCredit: EPA
      Oliveira has said that it was the ‘best thing ever’Credit: Instagram @cristianagpereira More

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      Ben Chilwell and Darwin Nunez feature in the best Dream Team XI of Game Week 25

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      Game Week 25 belonged to one Dream Team gaffer, James Taylor.The Liverpool fan, who we assume isn’t the Grammy-winning musician or the former England cricketer, amassed 132 points this past week despite blanks from two of his most-expensive assets.
      Let’s take a closer look at how he did it.
      That Chelsea defenceCredit: DREAM TEAM
      The first thing to note is that Harry Kane (£7.5m) and Kevin De Bruyne (£7.6m) returned zero points between them – it’s rare that the Team of the Week features two goose eggs.
      Clearly, a dominant performance by Chelsea’s defensive unit was key to James’ success.
      The Blues have struggled in the final third but they’ve been relatively solid in defence this season and they registered back-to-back clean sheets in Game Week 25 against Leeds and Borussia Dortmund.
      More than that, Ben Chilwell (£5m) whipped in the corner headed home by Wesley Fofana (£3.5m) in the only goal of the game at Stamford Bridge last weekend, with the latter also picking up the Star Man award.
      Speaking of defenders providing attacking contributions, Andy Robertson (£4.1m) provided the assist for Cody Gakpo’s (£3.9m) first goal against Man United, opening the floodgates in the process.
      Scotland’s captain earned a 7+ rating on top of a clean sheet to register just his second double-digit haul of the campaign.
      It was a great week for Chelsea defenders
      Jordan Henderson (£1.3m) features in just 0.9% of teams but James was among the tiny slither of gaffers who backed Liverpool’s captain and benefited from an assist and a 7+ rating.
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      Game Week 25’s top gaffer is a fan of the Reds so perhaps his natural bias was a factor here and while Henderson has mustered just 11 points all season, his selection paid off last weekend at least.
      Phil Foden (£5.2m) has suddenly exploded back into life after a lean spell.
      Manchester City’s resident wonderkid earned his third consecutive Star Man award when he topped the match ratings against Newcastle having got on the scoresheet again.
      A 13-point return means the England international has racked up 45 points across the last two Game Weeks!
      Up front, it was all about the 7-0 at Anfield.
      Several Liverpool players cashed in against Man United
      Mohamed Salah (£8.9m) was the chief architect of Manchester United’s demise with two goals and two assists.
      A 21-point haul meant the Egyptian hero became just the third Dream Team asset to become a double centurion in 2022/23.
      Finally, Darwin Nunez (£5.5m) helped himself to a brace as well.
      The Uruguay international has set about correcting his conversion rate in recent weeks and looks notably more confident in front of goal compared to the first half of the season.
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      He’s now the sixth-best player in his position – not bad for somebody labelled a ‘flop’, eh?
      Well played, James, good luck to you and all gaffers for Game Week 26. More

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      Tuchel ‘sacked by Chelsea for mysterious off-field reasons’ with German boss trying to stop ex-wife revealing details

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      THOMAS TUCHEL was sacked by Chelsea for “off-field reasons” and because the players “lost respect” for him – and is now trying to stop his ex-wife revealing the details, reports claim.The German coach, 49, was dismissed by Blues owner Todd Boehly in September and replaced by Graham Potter.
      Thomas Tuchel, left, split from wife Sissi, right, last yearCredit: Getty
      Sissi allegedly received an email detailing the reasons behind Tuchel’s Chelsea sackingCredit: Getty
      It came following a run of three wins in seven games, with the sacking put down to poor results and differences of opinion.
      But Bild has now revealed an alternative theory regarding his departure from Stamford Bridge – following a hearing at a Munich district court after his separation from wife, Sissi.
      According to the German newspaper, Sissi, 51, received a call from England stating why he was really sacked.
      The justification for his axe is said to have included mysterious “off-field reasons” and the fact that the Chelsea players had lost respect for their head coach.
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      Tuchel was married to Sissi, a former Suddeutsche Zeitung journalist, for 13 years.
      The couple, who have two daughters together, separated and began divorce proceedings last year.
      Sissi is said to have laid out the alleged reasons for Tuchel’s sacking in an email to him.
      Bild allege that the ex-Borussia Dortmund manager is trying to impose an injunction on that information to prevent it being disclosed.
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      But it was reportedly confirmed at a Munich hearing – which was held behind closed doors “because the highly personal area of life is touched on and the truthfulness of the statements is also disputed”.
      The report also states the wording of some of the claims could not be published due to legal reasons.
      Tuchel, who is said to have a new partner in 35-year-old Natalie Max, did not attend the hearing, but Sissi was present.
      Meanwhile, Tuchel is continually being linked with a return to football.

      Most recently, he has been touted to succeed Jose Mourinho at Roma or Antonio Conte at Spurs.
      But SunSport exclusively revealed on Thursday that Tottenham face a battle to convince the German to take the job. More

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      Third party through to second round of Man Utd bidding as they make offer to Ratcliffe and Qataris

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      A THIRD bid for Manchester United has emerged as an American hedge fund entered the race for the Red Devils. The club has been put up for sale as the Glazer family look to move on after nearly two decades of owning one of football’s biggest sides.
      Representatives from the hedge fund were present for United’s game v Real Betis last nightCredit: Getty
      Elliott Management has made it through to the second stage of the sales process, according to Sky Sports News.
      The American hedge fund have submitted an offer which is open to all parties, including the two frontrunners of British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Qatar group.
      But they are reported to not want to buy United outright and instead offer financial backing to any interested parties.
      Representatives from Elliott were at Old Trafford last to watch Man United beat Real Betis 4-1 in the first-leg of their Europa League last 16 tie.
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      Reports earlier this week suggested investors from Elliott were willing to stump up cash to help improve Old Trafford.
      The group are believed to be willing to finance £2bn towards stadium improvements.
      This is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of Man United’s ownership.
      Since the Glazers went public with their intentions, several bidders have shown interest in buying the club.
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      The most prominent bids come from Ratcliffe, who has long been open about his interest in the club.
      Ratcliffe is a United fan and tried to buy Chelsea last year.
      He is the founder and chairman of huge chemical company Ineos.
      But he and his group face fierce competition from Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, a member of Qatar’s ruling royal family.
      They are believed to have lodged a bid up to £5billion and want “100 per cent” control of United.

      Despite the ownership process seemingly gathering a head of steam, SunSport exclusively revealed earlier this week that the Red Devils could be taken OFF the sales market.
      Instead the Glazer family is considering a scheme to make money from the club’s global fanbase and not the football pitch.
      The unusual set-up would see the Glazers join forces with one deep-pocketed financier to create the new entity.
      Read More on The Sun
      This would allow them to rake in money from potential opportunities from digital sales, video gaming, merchandise licensing that would be separate to what happens to the pitch. 
      Such a move would be a significant watering down of the family’s ambitions to oversee a full sale. More

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      Incredible optical illusion leaves Arsenal fans worried about Gabriel Jesus on return to training following knee injury

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      ARSENAL fans have been worried about Gabriel Jesus’ return to fitness after a training ground photo – but all is not as it seems.In the snap on social media Jesus’ is taking part in full contact training but his right leg appears to have withered away.
      Some Arsenal fans think Gabriel Jesus’ leg has withered away in this pictureCredit: Getty
      However he is actually fine and on the brink of returningCredit: Getty
      The full picture breaks the optical illusion and shows his right leg looks perfectly fineCredit: Getty
      And this has caused worry among the club’s fanbase who had been hoping he would be able to return to action soon.
      One tweeted: “Not gonna lie, I’m concerned by how much Gabriel Jesus’ leg has withered away during his time on the sidelines.”
      A second commented: “Didn’t know Arsenal used Dr. Nick Riviera as their surgeon on call.”
      Jesus has been sidelined since the World cup following knee surgery.
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      However, after closer inspection, it can be seen that the “withered leg” is actually an optical illusion – and another player’s arm.
      It led to some eagle-eyed fans making jokes at the odd picture.
      One said: “VAR are going to have a field day giving pens against us for handball when GJ kicks the ball clear from a corner.”
      Another joked: “How do those boots fit? ‘They fit like a glove’.”
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      Jesus was left out of the Gunner’s Europa League squad last night and manager Mikel Arteta insisted that the club will not rush him back.
      He said: “We will try to make a fair assessment between what he needs and when he’s comfortable.
      “Everything is going well, he needs time to get himself that confident and physical state to compete with a free mind.”
      Eddie Nketiah has been filling in for the former Man City striker and has come up with some key goals in Arsenal’s title challenge. More

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      Owen Hargreaves ‘amazed’ by ‘old school’ Man Utd player and says fans will want to see more of him

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      OWEN HARGREAVES has been left amazed by one “old school” Manchester United player after the Red Devils’ win over Real Betis. Following a tricky first-half, United pulled away from their Spanish opponents to give themselves a commanding 4-1 lead for the second-leg.
      Pellistri did not spend long on the pitch last night but impressed nonethelessCredit: Getty
      The youngster received praise from his more experienced teammates after his impactCredit: Getty
      Much of the damage had already been done by the time Facundo Pellistri came off the bench for Antony with eight minutes to go.
      He made an immediate impact off the bench which led directly to Wout Weghorst’s goal.
      Almost straight after coming on, Pellistri received the ball directly from Bruno Fernandes’ out-swinging corner.
      Despite Real Betis defenders charging towards him, the 21-year-old dribbled around the outside past two men before sending a drilled cross back in.
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      Scott McTominay’s shot was blocked before Weghorst pounced on the rebound.
      That was the high point of Pellistri’s cameo performance and it left BT pundits and former United players Paul Scholes and Owen Hargreaves impressed.
      Asked by presenter Jules Breach why United fans don’t see him more often, Hargreaves said: “I don’t know.
      “I was amazed how quick he was. A lot of the guys, like Jadon [Sancho] and Antony, they like to dribble and slow down and come inside, but he doesn’t want any of that.
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      “He just [likes] getting on the outside, old school, just sprinting past people. And it’s good to see because when he does that, the centre-forwards know when the ball is going to come in, where the other wingers take a lot of touches.
      “Scholesy’s right, that was a brilliant cameo. I think United fans would love to see more of him.”
      The Uruguayan winger signed for the club in 2020 and has been tipped as a potential star for the future.
      But he has found game time very difficult to come by this season with only four appearances in all competitions this campaign.
      Reports had suggested he could move on loan in January but Pellistri eventually stayed with the club. More

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      Leicester ‘face being forced to sell James Maddison with Newcastle ready to revive transfer interest’

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      NEWCASTLE are ready to reignite their interest in Leicester star James Maddison, according to reports.The Magpies tried to sign the midfielder last summer but had a bid worth £45million rejected.
      Newcastle are set to reignite their interest in James MaddisonCredit: Getty
      A January move was also not possible with the Foxes keen to keep Maddison amid the threat of relegation.
      However when the transfer window reopens Toon will reportedly try to take advantage of Leicester’s perilous financial position by landing Maddison, report talkSPORT.
      Leicester reported losses of £92m last year and could be forced to sell prized asset Maddison.
      Newcastle have reportedly made the playmaker their No1 transfer target with sporting director Dan Ashworth still very keen to sign him.
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      Tottenham have also been linked with a move for Maddison, who has scored nine Premier League goals this season.
      Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers has admitted Maddison could leave and he revealed he will not stand in his way.
      Rodgers said: “It’s a conversation we’ve been having with James’ representatives for a while so there’s no change in that.
      “For me, it’s about making sure that, despite whatever the situation is, that James is playing at the best level he can be.
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      “He’s a top player in the league and he’s shown that in his time here, gradually from when he’s come in to the position he’s in now, you can see that development take place.
      “I think that’s the type of club we are – we’ll develop players, we’ll improve players, we can give them great conditions to work in – but I won’t be begging for a player to stay.” More