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      Arsenal set for huge summer overhaul with four transfers including £80m Declan Rice but SIX players face the axe

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      ARSENAL are reportedly set for wholesale change in the summer transfer window as they eye FOUR signings and SIX departures.The Gunners hold a two-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table in what has been a sensational season to date.
      Declan Rice is being heavily linked with a move to ArsenalCredit: Getty
      Moises Caicedo nearly secured a switch to the Emirates in JanuaryCredit: Getty
      And while the title is now their focus, it must not be forgotten that Champions League qualification is all but secured.
      According to The Times, the revenue brought in through a top-four finish could fund a spending spree.
      Mikel Arteta wants to bring in two central midfielders, a winger and a left-back at the end of the season.
      Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo are two players that have been explicitly named as targets in the report.
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      Arsenal are confident of beating Chelsea to West Ham’s £80million captain Rice, 24.
      And they are also set to renew their interest in Brighton man Caicedo.
      It remains to be seen who else they will go after, but names they are linked with include Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Real Valladolid defender Ivan Fresneda and Inter Milan wingback Denzel Dumfries.
      There is also set to be a mass exodus at the Emirates come the end of the campaign.
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      Kieran Tierney has featured very little for Arsenal so far this seasonCredit: Getty
      One player at the top of that list of exits is expected to be left-back Kieran Tierney.
      The Scot, 25, has started just four Premier League games this season following the arrival of Oleksandr Zinchenko.
      But Arsenal are not expected to let him go cheap as they look to make back the £25m they spent on him four years ago.

      Two more sales are likely to come in the form of Albert Sambi Lokinga and Nuno Tavares – who are on loan at Crystal Palace and Marseille respectively.
      Folarin Balogun, who is thriving at Reims, is also set to depart.
      He is second in Ligue 1’s top scorer charts and will not want to return to North London to be third-choice behind Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah.
      Arteta needs to make a decision on Emile Smith Rowe – who has played little more than 100 minutes this season due to injury.
      And midfielder Granit Xhaka is a potential surprise departure if his contract situation is not resolved.
      The Swiss, 30, will become a free agent in the summer of 2024 and could leave if Rice and Caicedo join Thomas Partey and Jorginho as Arsenal’s options in the middle of the park.
      Granit Xhaka is set to enter the final 12 months of his dealCredit: Getty More

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      Graham Potter wouldn’t have lasted in my time… Chelsea must sack him NOW, blasts former star

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      BELEAGUERED Chelsea boss Graham Potter must be sacked NOW.That’s according to an ex-Blues star, who believes the tactician is out of his depth at Stamford Bridge and must be shown the exit quickly.
      A former Chelsea star has urged the club to sack Graham PotterCredit: PA
      Potter’s London dream has turned into a nightmare after embarking on a series of disastrous results.
      The former Brighton manager has overseen just two wins in his last 15 league matches.
      And the only victory of 2023 — in all competitions — has been a fortuitous 1-0 over Crystal Palace in January.
      Chelsea are out of the FA Cup and facing the prospect of elimination in Europe by the hands of Borussia Dortmund.
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      Meanwhile, players like Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz continue to be selected despite being tipped for exits this summer.
      And Chelsea’s slide down the table could continue when they face rivals Leeds in a must-win game this weekend.
      Potter is still believed to retain the backing of Todd Boehly and other key members of Chelsea’s board.
      But for one former player, the situation has already reached its breaking point.
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      Mario Melchiot reckons Potter would be long gone under the old regimeCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      Former Holland defender Mario Melchiot spent five years at Chelsea, scoring five goals in 165 games.
      He experienced the very first season of life under Roman Abramovich, who ruthlessly sacked Claudio Ranieri in 2004 for finishing second before the historical appointment of Jose Mourinho.

      And Melchiot reckons Potter must leave now, with the Englishman sure to have already been sacked under the old regime.
      Melchiot told ESPN: “In my time, Graham Potter wouldn’t last, that’s all I can say.
      “When I was playing, no. I feel sorry for him, I know everyone is talking about him, but with results like this… I have to be sorry and make a change.
      “He talks about the All or Nothing [documentary] of Arsenal, little things that are not necessary.
      “What is important now is picking your starting XI and sticking with it. Then you focus on the details.” More

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      Chelsea star Thiago Silva labels Fifa Best voting ‘a joke’ as he fumes at bit-part Man City ace beating Lewandowski

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      THIAGO SILVA has blasted Fifa’s best-player voting as a “joke” after Julian Alvarez came seventh – ahead of Kevin De Bruyne and Robert Lewandowski.Summer arrival Alvarez has struggled for a regular spot at Manchester City but bagged four goals in helping Argentina win the World Cup.
      Julian Alvarez had a breakthrough World Cup but being voted the world’s seventh best player surprised many. including Thiago SilvaCredit: Getty
      Thiago Silva has suggested the voting was more than a bit mixed upCredit: AFP
      Lionel Messi topped the poll of FIFPro players, selectors, journalists and fans with 52 votes.
      And the next four on the list were also no great surprise.
      French hitmen Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema notched 44 and 34 votes respectively.
      Then came Croatia’s evergreen midfielder Luka Modric and Etihad goal machine Erling Haaland.
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      But controversy hit once the list got down to players with fewer than 20 votes.
      Sadio Mane was sixth, ahead of Alvarez and Moroccan stylist Achraf Hakimi.
      The next four places were taken by Neymar, De Bruyne, Vinicius Junior and Lewandowski.
      And Chelsea’s Brazil defender Silva, 38, broke ranks when he saw that ranking.
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      Responding to protests over Alvarez’s bit-part role, Silva wrote: “It’s a joke”.
      But the City man’s Argentina team-mate Messi has defended him, saying: “During the whole World Cup, he was extraordinary.
      “He ran everything. He fought for everything – creating chances, fighting. For us, he was the surprising discovery, and he deserves everything that has happened to him because he is a lovely guy.”
      But to make the Fifa ratings even more embarrassing, Fifa initially listed alvarez under “Spain”.
      In fact, no Spanish players made the top 14, while England’s only representative was Jude Bellingham. More

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      Jungle queen Jill Scott lined up to become first-ever female coach of a men’s side as she joins Man City

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      JUNGLE queen Jill Scott is set to become a youth coach at Premier League champions Man City.The Lioness, who won I’m A Celeb in November, is being lined up to eventually work with the club’s men’s teams.
      Jill Scott is set to become a youth coach at Premier League champions Man CityCredit: Getty
      The Lioness, who won I’m A Celeb in November, will be the first-ever female to coach a pro male teamCredit: Rex
      No female has ever managed a pro male team but Jill, 36, who helped England’s women win Euro 2022 last summer before retiring, is taking her coaching badges.
      She could make millions through brand deals and has been flooded with TV offers.
      But although she is set to be a pundit at this summer’s women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Jill is determined to make her mark as a football coach.
      She has already reached Uefa B level and is now looking at her A licence, which would allow her to coach at a higher level.
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      And her first step in becoming a boss will be to coach some of the boys and girls at City’s academy.
      Jill, who made 111 appearances as a player for City’s women’s side, said she had been inspired by watching men’s manager Pep Guardiola at work.
      She said: “I went to a couple of his training sessions, which was great, and he came to watch some of ours.”
      Of the 12 teams in England’s Women’s Super League, only four have female managers.
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      The star boss in the women’s game is Chelsea’s Emma Hayes, 46, who has been tipped to one day take charge of a men’s side.
      She was recently linked with the job at Championship side Queens Park Rangers but missed out.
      Man City are the current Premier League champions. Pictured Erling Haaland and Phil Foden More

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      Tottenham scout leaves club after leaving board furious by leaking transfer targets in live TV interview

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      A SCOUT has left Tottenham after infuriating club chiefs by revealing key transfer targets in a Colombian TV interview.Jeff Vetere, formerly of Real Madrid and Newcastle, left his bosses astounded after talking about players he liked and those the club were watching.
      Jeff Vetere rubbed Spurs chiefs the wrong way by leaking transfer targets from South America scouting expeditionCredit: Alamy
      The scout revealed a target in a sit-down interview with Win Sports TV, angering club chiefsCredit: Getty
      In a sit-down interview with Win Sports TV, Vetere revealed how a South American scouting mission saw Nacional goalkeeper Kevin Mier, 22, land himself on Spurs’ radar.
      And the Daily Mail reports that Vetere’s conduct was deemed to be unprofessional by the Tottenham board.
      A formal meeting was called to review his probationary period having only joined the North London club last September.
      But before that process was finished, the 57-year-old resigned.
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      The report goes on to state that Vetere would have been told to leave anyway and his exit has been welcomed by many at Tottenham.
      Vetere had been out of work since being sacked as Birmingham City’s director of football in 2018.
      But his close relationship with sporting director Fabio Paratici saw him land a key role at Spurs. 
      Vetere is also said to have rubbed existing staff members the wrong way.
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      The scout said in the interview of the Nacional goalkeeper Mier: “I see a goalkeeper who does not lack anything to cross the pond.
      “We are looking because it is our task to see who the best youngsters are for international football. 
      “Taking advantage of my stay in Colombia, I took the opportunity to go there (Nacional) and meet a goalkeeper who is important to me.
      “I think he’s going to play for the national side soon.
      “He has things, for me, they are not normal for a boy of his age.
      “I was surprised by his confidence and his handling of the ball.”
      Luton-born Vetere is more notable for his time at Newcastle.
      The multilingual figure was controversial at St James’ Park, with the report claiming he contributed to Kevin Keegan quitting as boss following the signing of players he claimed to know nothing about.
      Keegan was, of course, later awarded £2million for constructive dismissal by an independent tribunal panel.
      Nacional’s goalkeeper Kevin Mier is the player the ex-Spurs scout spoke highly of on TVCredit: Getty More

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      Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta shows Graham Potter sympathy over Chelsea abuse but says owners’ patience won’t last forever

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      MIKEL ARTETA told under-fire Chelsea manager Graham Potter that he cannot rely on the owners’ backing forever.The table-topping Arsenal boss knows exactly what Potter is going through right now after enduring online abuse and demands for his dismissal last season.
      Graham Potter is under pressure to turn results around at ChelseaCredit: Rex
      Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he sympathises with the Chelsea managerCredit: Getty
      Arteta sympathised with Potter — believing he was only two games from the sack when the Gunners were bottom last term — and added it must not ‘ruin his life’.
      But he warned that failure on the pitch will only be tolerated by billionaire Blues owner Todd Boehly for so long.
      Arteta said: “The board were really supportive but at the end of the day you have to win matches because you know if the run continues, it becomes unsustainable.
      “I knew that I had to win against Norwich and  Burnley — and everything started to get better.”
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      After Chelsea’s 2-0 loss at Spurs, Potter pointed to the patience Arsenal showed Arteta when his team lost their first three Prem games last term.
      The Blues boss, who has just two wins in 15 games, also revealed he and his family have been victims of vile abuse, with some wanting him “to die”.
      Arteta, whose side host Everton on Wednesday, added: “This job’s so demanding.
      “But you cannot allow it to destroy your life.
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      “Your family and loved ones don’t deserve to have their lives affected.
      “Of course you empathise when someone is suffering because you know how it feels to go through these moments.”
      Potter’s issues got worse after it was confirmed Blues defender Thiago Silva has suffered knee ligament damage. More

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      Watch TV reporter’s SAVAGE response after being blanked by Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk at awards ceremony

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      A TV reporter came up with a savage response after being blanked at the Fifa awards ceremony by Virgil van Dijk.The Liverpool defender won another accolade as he was voted in the FIFA FIFPRO Men’s World XI for his performances in 2022.
      Virgil van Dijk was not in the mood for questions with the star avoiding one reporterCredit: Getty
      But the journalist from TyC Sports had a sassy reply waiting after being blankedCredit: TyC Sports via Twitter / @TyCSports

      He was one of a number of stars to win gongs at Fifa’s showpiece event with Lionel Messi awarded the Best FIFA Men’s Player award.
      But as van Dijk was attempting to cross the media pen, one reporter from TyC Sports, an Argentine TV station, tried to ask him question.
      He said: “One minute, just two questions, please.”
      The 31-year-old walked right past and ignored the journalist.
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      The reporter then quipped: “Well, Virgil van Dijk told me no… it doesn’t matter. Argentina won the quarter-finals…”
      Some fans loved the sassy exchange but others believed the comment was over of line.
      One person wrote: “This shows that [van Dijk] did very well not to give him statements. Shame [from a] ‘journalist’.”
      It was an incredible 2022 from van Dijk with the defender at the centre of a Liverpool team chasing the quadruple.
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      The Reds did win the Carabao Cup and FA Cup last season but lost in the Champions League final and fell just short in the Premier League.
      Van Dijk managed to bring that leadership to the international team where Holland scrapped their way into the quarter-finals.
      Despite being 2-0 down to Argentina with eight minutes to go, the Netherlands managed to take a fiercely-contested game all the way to penalties before losing 4-3 on spotkicks. More

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      Man Utd takeover set to be DELAYED until May as Glazers disagree over whether to drop £6m valuation

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      MANCHESTER UNITED’s takeover is set to be DELAYED until May with the Glazers intent on securing their £6billion valuation, according to reports.A number of bids have been launched for the Old Trafford club in the last fortnight.
      Any Man Utd takeover could be DELAYED until MayCredit: Getty
      The Glazers are intent on collecting £6bn for Man UtdCredit: Getty
       Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe both offered a maximum £4.5bn.
      And according to The Guardian, any takeover is set to be DELAYED until May.
      The Glazers are intent on securing their £6bn asking price for Man Utd.
      That is despite the latest valuation of United by financial experts.
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       the Glazers’ £6bn asking price has been put into starker context by the latest valuation of the club by the Financial Times’ “Lex” column.
      Using a calculation known as “discounted cash flow analysis”, United was valued at just £1.32bn, less than a quarter of the £6bn the Glazers want.
      That valuation, though, does seem on the low side with United shares, trading on the New York Stock Exchange, giving a figure of £2.8bn, while evaluating the club based on revenues – and using the model set when Raine sold Chelsea to Todd Boehly last summer – gives a total of £3.55bn.
      Those numbers may prompt the declared bidders to “go low”, with Ratcliffe’s Ineos petro-chemicals giant targeting just the Glazers’ 69 per cent stake rather than a complete takeover while Sheikh Jassim wants full ownership.
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      However, another bid coming from Luxembourg-based hedge fund Genevra Associates could see them take a “minority stake” alongside the “current majority owners” – the Glazers.
      A minority stake being bought in Man Utd could allow the Glazers more time to oversee any potential success by Erik ten Hag and his squad.
      Man Utd won their first trophy since 2017 on Sunday, beating Newcastle 2-0 in the Carabao Cup final.
      Bidders are expected to hear on Wednesday whether they’re allowed access to the Old Trafford club’s books.
      Sheikh Jassim is looking to buy the Red Devils outrightCredit: AFP
      Sir Jim Ratcliffe is another interested in a Man Utd takeoverCredit: AFP More