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      Dad of Qatari billionaire who wants to buy Man Utd breaks silence on son’s takeover bid

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      THE father of the Qatari billionaire who has made an offer to buy Manchester United does NOT support the bid.Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani has revealed he views the potential takeover as an investment opportunity, rather than an advertisement for his country.
      Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani has expressed doubt over the takeoverCredit: Getty
      Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad al-Thani tabled a bid last monthCredit: AFP
      His son Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani has tabled a bid believed to be under the Glazers’ £6billion asking price.
      Al Thani’s bid is reportedly worth £5bn but he is promising to wipe the club’s debt and fund upgrades for both Old Trafford and Carrington.
      It is thought his backing will be provided by dad Sheikh Hamad, the former Qatar prime minister who has amassed his wealth through gas and oil.
      But in an interview with The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations, published by Bloomberg, Sheikh Hamad expressed doubt over the takeover.
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      He said: “I am not a football fan.
      “I don’t like this investment. Maybe it will work well. But you know, some of my sons like this, they always discuss it with me. They’re pushing hard. This isn’t my speciality.

      “Let me put it like this: I am an investor. If it will one day be a good investment, I will think about it. I will not look at it as something you do just as an advertisement.”
      However Sheikh Hamad also admitted he was not initially supportive of Qatar hosting the World Cup, which he now accepts was a huge success.
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      He added: “If it was my choice, I wouldn’t have done it at that time.
      “When I was prime minister and this idea came to his Highness, the Father Emir, and his crown prince at the time, Sheikh Tamim, they knew that I was against it.
      “Because I thought that’s a lot of money and effort that will be spent. We could spend it on something else that’s good for the people and the country.
      “But if you ask me now, I will tell you there was a lot of positive outcomes. And the positive outcome was not only putting Qatar on the map.
      “Look at the people who visited. I knew many from the business community, from all over the world. They came, some of them for the first time. They brought their families.” More

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      Chelsea in talks over £1.5bn stadium project with complete rebuild of Stamford Bridge the ‘most likely option’

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      CHELSEA are in talks over a £1.5bn stadium project with a complete rebuild of Stamford Bridge the “most likely option” for owner Todd Boehly.The American billionaire and his co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali are determined for the club to have one of the greatest stadiums on the planet by 2030.
      Chelsea are in talks over a £1.5bn stadium projectCredit: Getty
      A complete rebuild of Stamford Bridge is the ‘most likely option’Credit: Getty
      It is understood that the Blues currently have three options regarding their home ground.
      One is to start work on and build a completely new site.
      Another is knocking down their current home and rebuilding a new ground from scratch and the other is just to redevelop Stamford Bridge.
      And The Telegraph says that demolishing their West London ground and building a brand new one in its place on the existing site is “currently emerging as the most likely option”.
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      However, they also stressed that no final decision is yet to be taken.
      Chelsea board member Jonathan Goldstein is in charge of the project along with Janet Marie Smith, who is the executive vice president of planning and development for the Boehly-owned LA Dodgers.
      He is in talks with the Chelsea Pitch Owners [CPO] and is waiting to see if a £50m bid to buy land next to Stamford Bridge is successful.
      That is a 1.2 acre site which currently belongs to housing association Stoll.
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      But if the club could purchase that then it would provide a huge boost to building on the current location of their home.
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      Boehly and Clearlake have previously assured the CPO that any move away from there would be with their backing.
      CPO chair Chris Isitt said: “The CPO is having positive talks with the club about redevelopment.
      “We understand this is a complicated project which needs careful consideration, but we share the common aim, which is to have the best stadium in London.” More

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      Liverpool vs Man Utd: Reds struggle for top 4 as United target Quadruple.. what a difference a year makes – TV & stream

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      ONE team is fighting for an unprecedented Quadruple while the other scraps for a spot in the Europa League.One team has just lifted their first trophy of the season while the other is embarrassingly far off the pace.
      Man Utd are on a red-hot streak and look more like last season’s Liverpool – while the Reds look like their struggling rivals of a year agoCredit: Getty
      Liverpool have gone from hunting for four trophies last season to prowling for scraps in 2022-23Credit: Getty
      A year ago it was Liverpool who were roaring towards an incredible four trophies, playing every game possible and looking unstoppable.
      A year ago Manchester United looked a disorganised mess without any tactical plan or sense of direction and a disjointed squad.
      Fast forward just 12 months and the roles are completely reversed.
      As Sir Alex Ferguson famously once said: “Football… bloody hell.”
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      Last season, Liverpool were in imperious form, winning the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, while reaching the Champions League final and missing out on the Premier League after one of the most-outrageous final-day comebacks ever from Manchester City.
      The Reds also spanked United 9-0 across their two Premier League fixtures – with Jurgen Klopp grinning as his side made the Red Devils look like total amateurs.
      This season, the German’s iconic grin has been replaced by a grimace as his Reds fall apart in front of his very eyes.
      Make no mistake, this Liverpool squad needs a huge shake-up this summer with an aging midfield, error-prone defence and injury hit front-line wreaking havoc.
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      But will they be able to attract the likes of Jude Bellingham when they’re increasingly unlikely to grab a Champions League place?
      Liverpool are somehow still within reach of the top four – just six points behind Tottenham with a game in hand.
      At Anfield, the Reds will look to not only get revenge for their 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford in August but also dent United’s shock title hopes.
      The Red Devils haven’t won the Premier League since 2012-13 – in Fergie’s final season.
      For much of this season, Arsenal and Man City were locked in a two-horse race to lift the crown.
      But United’s red-hot form – spearheaded by Marcus Rashford’s outrageous purple patch – has somehow lifted them into contention.
      If Erik ten Hag’s men win their game in hand over the top two, they’ll be just three points off City and eight behind Arsenal, with 13 games still to play.
      The Carabao Cup victory over Newcastle last weekend has only further buoyed an already more unified, happy squad – ending their near-six-year trophy drought.
      The rivalry between Liverpool and Man Utd has always burned strongly.
      After all, they’re not only local rivals but also the two most-successful clubs in English football history.
      With a changing of the guard already taking place, United go into the match at Anfield on Sunday afternoon as undeniable favourites.
      Who would have guessed that last season?
      What is their form like?
      Liverpool: What a mixed bag.
      Every time the Reds’ season looks dead and buried, they put together a string of encouraging results.. and whenever that happens they lose badly and make fans question everything.
      In the league, Liverpool have won three of their last four matches 2-0 – against Everton, Newcastle and most-recently, Wolves.
      However, they were battered 5-2 by Real Madrid and drew 0-0 at Crystal Palace in the middle of all that.
      Man Utd: Absolutely scorching hot…
      United haven’t lost since January 22 – and even that was a 3-2 epic against league leaders Arsenal.
      You have to go back to the 3-1 defeat at Aston Villa on November 6 for their next-most-recent loss.
      Ten Hag and Co are on fire, winning the Carabao Cup as well as their Europa League last 32 tie against Barcelona AND FA Cup fifth round clash vs West Ham.
      What is the team news and any injuries to worry about?
      Liverpool: Some of the Reds’ biggest name injury worries are back on the pitch, including Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk.
      But Thiago is still out, as are Luiz Diaz and Calvin Ramsay.
      Arthur is still likely to miss the match, despite returning to training.
      Joe Gomez and Naby Keita are questionable after missing the win over Wolves with knocks.
      Man Utd: Christian Eriksen and Donny van de Beek will both miss the clash at Anfield.
      Anthony Martial is unlikely to be fit, with Wout Weghorst set to continue leading the line.
      Ten Hag also has minor doubts over Luke Shaw and Jadon Sancho who missed the FA Cup win over West Ham with an injury and illness respectively.

      Who will be the star men?
      Liverpool: Trent Alexander-Arnold.
      Much-maligned defensively, if Liverpool are to get anything out of the game, they’ll need to find a way to stop Rashford.
      Alexander-Arnold will need to be switched on for the full 90 minutes.
      And if he gets a chance to bomb forward or get a set-piece within 30 yards, the England ace could be the most important player on the pitch for Klopp.
      Man Utd: Marcus Rashford.
      How could it not be? The England star has been absolutely sensational.
      Rashford has contributed to 16 goals since the World Cup and defences across Europe have struggled to slow him down.
      Undoubtedly United’s biggest threat and any success they have will stem from the Three Lions star.
      What have the managers said?
      Liverpool: Pre-match press conference to follow…
      Man Utd: Pre-match press conference to follow…
      SunSport prediction
      Liverpool 2 Man Utd 2
      It’s hard to see Man Utd losing but this match won’t be easy in front of a fired-up Anfield and against a Liverpool team desperately fighting for points.
      It should be entertaining – expect goals.
      When is Liverpool vs Man Utd?

      Liverpool vs Man United is on Sunday, March 5th.
      The game will kick off at 16:30 pm UK time.
      Anfield will play host.

      Is Liverpool vs Man Utd on TV?

      Liverpool vs Man United will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event, and coverage starts at 4:00pm UK time.
      If you are not a Sky Sports subscriber, you can follow SunSport’s live blog to keep up to date with all of the action.

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      What are the odds?
      Liverpool – 7/5Draw – 5/2Man Utd – 7/4
      *Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes and correct at the time of publication. More

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      I’m a Man Utd legend who went viral as ‘old man down the pub’… people think I’m weird and don’t get my sense of humour

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      MANCHESTER UNITED legend Brian McClair has revealed all about the recent photo that saw him go viral.The ex-forward was a big part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s first decade at Old Trafford, playing for them between 1987 and 1998 after arriving from Celtic.
      Brian McClair was one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s first signingsCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      The Old Trafford legend went viral after this snap of him at the pub was shared onlineCredit: Twitter @BanditBus
      He made well over 350 appearances during that time before heading to his Scottish homeland to finish his career with Motherwell.
      The 59-year-old has since started coaching, with a brief stint as assistant manager at Blackburn followed by a return to United.
      He was employed as the club’s youth academy director between 2006 and 2015 but these days he is enjoying great success with his Life of Brian podcast – which has just been named as the most popular sports podcast in Costa Rica.
      However, that is not what he hit the headlines for over recent weeks, instead it was a visit to the boozer that had him trending.
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      McClair was photographed in a Manchester pub named the Gold Cup, only he looked completely unrecognisable from his Premier League-winning heyday with long hair and a long grey beard.
      Speaking to The Telegraph, he revealed: “It started in lockdown.
      “I just thought: let things grow, see where we end up. Then before Christmas I decided to have a tidy up, but I never got round to it.
      “I was out one night and next thing I see I’m trending on social media as ‘old man down the pub’.
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      “I’ve had the trim since. You’ll be disappointed to hear I look a wee bit less as though I’ve been cast away on a desert island.”
      McClair, who won 14 trophies, including four league titles, admits that was just “another bizarre thing in my life”. 
      He said: “I think I’m normal, others think I’m weird. I tend to notice bizarre things, bizarre things come out of my head.”
      The Scot managed to avoid doing interviews throughout his 11-year stay at Old Trafford – but he still managed to wind-up team-mates and the media with his “Choccy’s Diary” in the matchday programme.
      He added: “It was very rare when I was a player I got inspired by questions.
      “The other players say they never got my sense of humour. I take that as an accolade.
      “In the dressing room plenty of things I said were said to find things out about them. I was interested in what made them tick.”
      McClair added: “I was always happy to start a debate. A lot of players want to win at that.
      “I remember Gary Pallister in particular always wanted to get the last word.
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      “I was giving him a lift home once. We were having a chat and I deliberately wouldn’t agree with him.
      “When we got to his house, he jumped out the car, shouting at me, slamming the door and running off up his drive so I couldn’t respond. I laughed all the way home.”
      Brian McClair says he has now had a trim since his pub snapCredit: Twitter More

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      Chelsea star flies out to LA for knee surgery just weeks after sealing January transfer leaving fans worried

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      CHELSEA new boy Jimmy-Jay Morgan has flown out to the USA for knee surgery.The 17-year-old agreed a £6million switch from Southampton in the January transfer window.
      Chelsea youngster Jimmy-Jay Morgan is set to undergo surgery in the USCredit: Getty
      Morgan shared an image of him on a plane ready to jet off to AmericaCredit: Jimmy-Jay Morgan instagram
      But Gianluca DI Marzio’s website is now reporting an injury that was discovered during the teenager’s medical has forced him to fly out to America for treatment.
      Morgan uploaded a picture to social media of himself on board a plane with the “peace” emoji and an American flag.
      He will head to Los Angeles for the surgery – and is set to go under the knife on Friday.
      It is expected that Morgan will be sidelined for three months following the operation.
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      And it means he faces a race to be fit for the summer.
      The ex-Saints ace had hoped to feature for Chelsea during pre-season.
      But those plans could now be scuppered if his rehabilitation takes any longer than predicted.
      Morgan, who has signed a long-term deal with Chelsea, was a part of the Blues’ academy before he left for Southampton.
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      He contributed six goals and five assists in 13 games for the south-coast side’s youth team.
      And he made the bench for Saints’ Carabao Cup and FA Cup games prior to his January departure.
      Chelsea’s head of youth development and recruitment, Jim Fraser, revealed following Morgan’s arrival that he was looking forward to working with him.
      He said: “In signing Jimmy-Jay we have added a player with good potential to our academy squads.
      “His ability marks him out as an exciting striker and we are delighted he has chosen Chelsea for this next, important stage of his development.” More

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      Man Utd join Arsenal and Chelsea in Romeo Lavia transfer battle just eight-months after Southampton star left City

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have joined Arsenal and Chelsea in the race to sign Romeo Lavia, reports suggest. Lavia, 19, has enjoyed a breakout season with Southampton.
      Southampton starlet Romeo Lavia is on Manchester United’s radarCredit: Getty

      In fact, no player in the Premier League won more free-kicks than Lavia in February.
      And now the midfielder, who only joined from Manchester City last summer, is in line for a move up the table.
      According to the Daily Mail, Man Utd are the latest club to keep tabs on Lavia.
      The Belgian is already in the sights of London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal, with the Blues previously enquiring about his services.
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      However, in United’s case, he does not represent their first-choice option.
      Instead, Erik ten Hag wants to pursue a deal for Frenkie de Jong or Jude Bellingham, who both fit his desired tactical system.
      There is also a long-standing admiration for Declan Rice at Old Trafford, though Arsenal are leading the race to sign the West Ham star.
      Southampton have missed Lavia’s presence whenever he has not featured this season, winning just one of nine Premier League games he was absent.
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      This has not boded well for the Saints’ survival chances, with their poor form seeing them rooted to the bottom of the table.
      They brought Lavia in for just £14million, and while City have a £40m buyback option in the deal, relegation would weaken Southmapton’s stance on a sale.
      Man City star Kevin De Bruyne described Lavia as having the potential to be a “top player” after seeing him in training.
      He said last year: “He (Lavia) is very good. He’s been training with us since the end of last year. If he continues his development, I think he’ll be a top player.” More

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      Highly-rated Man Utd coach Eric Ramsay lands new role as national team assistant coach

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      MANCHESTER UNITED first-team coach Eric Ramsay will combine his Old Trafford role with Wales after being appointed as Robert Page’s assistant.United’s Ramsay, 31, will replace Kit Symons, who was axed after a disappointing showing at last year’s World Cup, and work alongside fellow No2 Alan Knill underneath boss Page.
      Man Utd coach Eric Ramsay is joining Wales as assistant coachCredit: Reuters
      Ramsay has been drafted in by Wales boss Rob PageCredit: Alamy
      The Dragons chief has also drafted in West Ham’s Nick Davies as his new head of performance after Tony Strudwick also left the Welsh fold following the group stage exit in Qatar.
      Page has brought the pair in ahead of the opening Euro 2024 qualifiers against Croatia in Split on March 25 and Latvia in Cardiff three days later.
      Wales manager Page said: “Eric and Nick will be two great additions to our staff. 
      “Eric is arguably one of the best young coaches in football at this moment in time and Nick has a wealth of experience having been involved in top clubs.  
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      “The changes give us an opportunity to build on our success, by drip feeding new players into the squad at the right times. 
      “Hopefully in the next twelve months we’ll then have the next batch of players to represent Wales at the top level.”
      Highly-rated Ramsay joined United from Chelsea in the summer of 2021 as a set-piece coach under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
      But his status has grown under current boss Erik ten Hag this season and he has been working alongside Mitchell van der Gaag, Steve McClaren, and Benni McCarthy as the Carabao Cup winners chase four trophies.
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      Ramsay is a Uefa pro licence holder originally from mid-Wales and started his coaching career at Swansea before working at Shrewsbury and then a spell with Chelsea as Under-23s coach before the switch to Old Trafford.
      He was linked with the vacant managerial jobs at Barnsley and Blackpool but Ten Hag and the United hierarchy wanted him to stay put because he is viewed as an important member of the backroom staff.
      Ramsey, who speaks fluent Spanish and works one-on-one with players as well as being in charge of set-pieces, was hailed by Christian Eriksen for being the brains behind a brilliant set-piece routine scored by Marcus Rashford in December’s 3-0 home Premier League win over Nottingham Forest. 
      Eriksen swept in a low corner for Rashford to smash home.
      Davies, has strong Welsh roots after he was born in Port Talbot, currently works under Hammers chief David Moyes and has previous experience working at then Prem clubs West Brom, Norwich, Birmingham and Charlton. More

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      How Man City could line up next season with Declan Rice transfer as Pep Guardiola plans midfield overhaul

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      MANCHESTER CITY could line up with a brand-new midfield featuring Declan Rice next season.Pep Guardiola is reportedly preparing a summer transfer overhaul to freshen up his title-winning machine.
      Declan Rice could join Manchester City this summerCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Pep Guardiola will be plotting his transfer dealingsCredit: Reuters
      City have won four of the last five Premier League seasons – but are in a major battle with Arsenal this term.
      Now Teamtalk state Rice is high on the Etihad wishlist for a summer switch.
      Guardiola is up against former assistant Mikel Arteta, neighbour Erik ten Hag and Graham Potter to land the West Ham captain, who has rejected a contract extension at the London Stadium.
      David Moyes has insisted the Hammers would demand at least £100million for the academy graduate and England regular.
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      But City – who also want fellow Three Lions star Jude Bellingham – could make room and funds for Rice by selling a number of midfielders.
      Kalvin Phillips only arrived from Leeds for £42m last summer but has made just 11 appearances and just two starts – one in the FA Cup and one in the League Cup – in an injury-hit campaign.
      The reports suggests the midfielder could be moved on to make space for Rice while Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan have both been linked with Barcelona.
      Mateo Kovacic is a surprise transfer target for City, too, as he prepares to enter the final 12 months of his current Chelsea contract – as does Leicester’s James Maddison – while World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister is another name linked.
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      Left-backs Ben Chilwell and Antonee Robinson are both possible replacements for Joao Cancelo if he makes his Bayern Munich move permanent while in-demand defender Josko Gvardiol could also be targeted.
      It means City’s starting XI could look very different next season- although the likes of Ederson, Ruben Dias, Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish are surely safe.

      Josko Gvardiol scored against City in the Champions League but could join themCredit: Getty More