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      Casemiro is a Dream Team rarity – a defensive midfielder who produces loads of points

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      THERE were a few eyebrows raised when Manchester United forked out £60million for Casemiro (£3.5m) in the summer.It wasn’t a matter of ability, he has long been recognised as a world-class player, but there were some suggestions that, given his age, the Brazil international may see a switch to Old Trafford as a way of boosting his retirement fund rather than a project in which to invest ever fibre of his being.
      Those with financial inclinations also proposed that the transfer may not prove to be the wisest bit of business as the 30-year-old would likely have little resale value.
      A few months later, both those doubts seem to have been emphatically dismissed.
      Casemiro has made a positive impact at Old TraffordCredit: getty
      Casemiro quite clearly has a desire to keep playing to the best of his ability for a while longer and his experience has contributed to a significant uplift in the Red Devils’ performances and results.
      And while it remains true that the club are unlikely to recoup their investment with a future sale, the balance books will be more than satisfied if the combative midfielder proves to be the difference maker in regards to Champions League qualification.
      All things considered, the transfer must be considered a roaring success.
      More cynical fans will say there’s no excuse for anything else when paying such a huge fee for a proven player in their 30s but even optimistic supporters have been surprised by the transformational impact of Casemiro’s presence at Man United.
      It didn’t take a genius to see that the club needed quality in midfield but the five-time Champions League winner seems to have solved several problems simultaneously.
      Naturally, his ability to recover the ball and protect the defence is his strongest asset – only three players have made more tackles in the Premier League this season – but he’s also helped Man United’s ball progression through the middle third.
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      Again, this will have come as no surprise to anyone who has taken even a passing interest in Real Madrid’s fortunes in recent times.
      History makers
      But that’s not all, Casemiro has also chipped in with some very useful goal contributions.
      This weekend, he scored a brace in the FA Cup against Reading to take his tally to four goals and five assists this term – a more than respectable return in a half a campaign for a player in his position.
      And it’s this factor that has made a Dream Team success too.
      Generally speaking, defensive midfielders are unable to keep pace with wingers and advanced playmakers because goal involvements fuel Dream Team but with Casemiro ticking almost every box, he’s earned 91 points to date.
      That impressive tally puts him seventh in the rankings among assets in his position at the time of writing and you only have to look at the names above him to get a sense of what an achievement that is: Phil Foden (£4.7m), Bukayo Saka (£4.3m), Martin Odegaard (£3.6m), Riyad Mahrez (£6.1m), Bruno Fernades (£5.8m), Kevin De Bruyne (£7.2m).
      An unexpected Dream Team success storyCredit: getty
      Whether Casemiro’s returns are sustainable remains to be seen – a drop-off in terms of goal involvements wouldn’t be wholly surprising – but those gaffers who have backed so far have been handsomely rewarded.
      Defensive midfielders who rack plenty of Dream Team points are as rare unicorns and right now Man United have themselves one hell of a unicorn! More

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      Premier League hero Marcus Stewart reveals heartbreaking signs he had MND and how Ipswich icon has stunned doctors since

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      IPSWICH legend Marcus Stewart has bravely opened on how he found out he had motor neurone disease.The 50-year-old is best-known for scoring 19 goals for The Tractor Boys as they finished the 2000/01 Premier League season in fifth place.
      Marcus Stewart revealed his motor neurone disease diagnosis in SeptemberCredit: MatchDay Images Limited
      Stewart was second in the Premier League’s top scorer charts for the 2000/01 campaignCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      But now, 12 years after hanging up his boots, he is preparing for the toughest battle of his life.
      Stewart discovered he had MND in January last year and publicly revealed his diagnosis in September.
      But in an interview with The Mail, Stewart and his wife, Lou, have now explained he was showing minor signs during the lockdown in 2020.
      Lou started by recalling his hand cramping up while they were sat outside at a pub.
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      Before Stewart went on to add: “I was doing home workouts and over the course of time my hand kept coming off the pull-up bar or I’d drop a dumbbell.
      “Then I remember being sat down and turning the TV on and noticing my hand looked a bit skinny. I looked at my arm and compared it to my right. I’ve always been slim but I’m left-handed so my left arm should be a little bit bigger. That was it and it just went from there.”
      Subsequent tests eventually put the problems down to a bone spur in his neck, but wife Lou was still concerned it could be MND.
      And Stewart then revealed the heartbreaking moment he was told he had the disease.
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      He said: “MND didn’t even cross my mind. Lou [Stewart’s wife] was worried, but I was like, ‘Shut up, soppy, I’m fine, there is nothing wrong with me’.
      “I went to the appointment all happy, thinking they are going to give me the all-clear. The specialist got me on the bed and I had to stay as still as I could for five minutes as she checked my legs, arms and mouth.
      “We then sat down and she went, ‘It’s highly likely you’ve got MND’. She was so cold. She was like, ‘There is not a lot we can do, I’ll book an appointment and see you in six months’. I was completely dumbstruck. I’m quite good at taking things, but I just didn’t expect that.”
      Lou broke down in tears when she received the news – which she says sent her into “panic mode”, before Stewart returned home with flowers for her.
      The ex-footballer, who is now the head of player development at non-League Yeovil, describes telling his two sons – Kian, 23, and Finley, 20 – as a “tough moment”.
      But he is now focused on battling the disease.
      And doctors have since revealed they are stunned by his ability to still walk, talk, drive his car and ride his bike.
      During a check-up in June, he recalls: “She [the doctor] said, ‘Marcus, I am really pleased today because I didn’t expect you to be walking or talking’.
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      “We walked out of there dead happy because it felt like a win.”
      The football community showed their support for the former Bristol Rovers, Huddersfield and Sunderland man when he was the guest of honour at Ipswich’s 1-1 draw with Plymouth earlier this month. More

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      Crystal Palace agree £10.5m Naouirou Ahamada transfer with Stuttgart midfielder undergoing medical today

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      CRYSTAL PALACE have reached an agreement with Stuttgart to sign Naouirou Ahamada for £10.5million. The midfielder will reportedly join on a three-and-a-half-year deal that includes the option for a two-year extension.
      Naouirou Ahamada (front) is on the verge of completing a transfer to Crystal PalaceCredit: Getty
      Ahamada is set to undergo a medical at Selhurst Park this afternoon ahead of the transfer window slamming shut tomorrow, claim the Daily Mail.
      The 20-year-old has impressed for Stuttgart this season, having played 18 times in all competitions.
      He has managed two goals and two assists from a holding midfield position for the team sitting in 15th place in the German top-flight.
      Ahamada joined the Bundesliga club after coming through the ranks at Juventus.
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      The Frenchman never made a first-team appearance for the Old Lady but soon became a regular in the starting line-up at Stuttgart after he initially arrived on loan.
      The Athletic claim the deal for Ahamada is “savvy” as he was expected to generate interest from several top sides in the summer.
      Palace boss Patrick Vieira has supposedly been desperate to bolster his options in the middle of the pitch this month.
      The club have been heavily linked with trying to bring back Chelsea ace Conor Gallagher, who enjoyed a successful loan spell in South London last term.
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      However, SunSport understand that the Eagles could wait until the summer to make a bid for Gallagher.
      Palace are also interested in Tottenham’s Lucas Moura and Watford’s Ismaila Sarr although both potential moves face financial hurdles to overcome.
      The club do look set to keep hold of star man Wilfried Zaha beyond the transfer deadline, but his long-term future is unclear with his contract expiring this summer. More

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      ‘If he goes to England, he needs to change’ – Jose Mourinho warns Man Utd and Chelsea against Victor Osimhen transfer

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      JOSE MOURINHO has warned that Premier League clubs will have a lot of work to do on Victor Osimhen if they manage to sign him.The Nigerian forward has been rumoured with a move to both Manchester United and Chelsea.

      Jose Mourinho has warned Victor Osimhen that he would need to ‘stop diving’ if he moves to EnglandCredit: Getty
      Osimhen has become one of the most prolific strikers in Serie A, scoring 14 goals in 16 games this season.
      His record in front of goal has helped Napoli to the top of the table, and he even scored a worldie against Roma in their last match.
      However, former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham manager Mourinho has warned him that he will have to adapt his game if he moves to England.
      The current Roma boss suggested that English officials will be tougher on him if he dives.
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      Mourinho insisted that in Italy, referees put up with the behaviour, but thinks that the 24-year-old could have the same impact as Didier Drogba.
      He said: “He is of the same level as Drogba, but Didier didn’t dive.
      “If Victor changes, then OK. I’d buy him if I was at a club with a lot of money.
      “However, if he does go to England one day, he needs to change, because in Italy they put up with this sort of behaviour, whereas in the Premier League, they’d come down hard on him.
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      “I told him that he scored a wonderful goal and needs to stop diving so much.
      “His goal was fantastic, he did the same thing when we met earlier this season, so he’s a fantastic player.
      “But he mustn’t dive.”
      The striker will not come to the Premier League cheaply however, as it has been reported that he will cost £115million.
      Osimhen is in his third season at Napoli following a £70m switch from Lille in 2020. More

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      Arsenal star Kieran Tierney offered January transfer exit with Juventus and Inter Milan circling defender

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      ARSENAL star Kieran Tierney is attracting transfer interest from Italian giants Juventus and Inter Milan, according to reports.The Scotsman, 25, has fallen behind Oleksandr Zinchenko in the pecking order at the Emirates.
      Juventus and Inter Milan are interested in Kieran TierneyCredit: Getty
      And with the Gunners going strong at the top of the Premier League, he faces a big fight to reclaim the starting left-back spot.
      According to Tutto Mercato, Tierney could seal a January transfer to Italy with Juve and Inter both keen.
      However, a transfer could depend on whether Arsenal can sign a replacement.
      Real Valladolid’s Ivan Fresneda has been linked with a move to the Gunners to bolster the full-back department.
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      But the 18-year-old wonderkid largely operates on the right side of the defence.
      Fresneda is also wanted by top four rivals Newcastle.

      And Borussia Dortmund have made a bid too.
      But he is believed to have his heart set on Arsenal after missing training last week.
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      Juve are in desperate need of reinforcements with the Old Lady sat 13th in Serie A.
      Inter, meanwhile, are sat second and 13 points behind league leaders Napoli.
      Kieran Tierney’s Premier League stats More

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      Man Utd could make shock transfer swoop for Youri Tielemans as they keep tabs on new box-to-box midfielder

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      MAN UTD could reportedly make a move for Leicester midfielder Youri Tielemans in the January window or the summer.The Belgian, 25, was heavily linked with Arsenal last year as he entered the final 12 months of his contract at the King Power Stadium.
      Youri Tielemans has been heavily linked with a move away from LeicesterCredit: Getty
      But a transfer failed to materialise as the Foxes clung onto their playmaker.
      Now he is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, with Leicester not expected to reach an agreement over a new deal.
      And according to CBS journalist Ben Jacobs, United could be set to snap him up before Tuesday’s deadline or when his existing contract expires.
      Speaking to The Football Terrace, via The Boot Room, Jacobs said: “I think we shouldn’t only be referring to a late Manchester United movement in terms of strikers.
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      “From what I hear it’s more creative-minded players that can either get box to box from attacking midfield, or in central areas, or are a little more versatile across the front areas.
      “Therefore keep an eye on a player like Youri Tielemans who will be available on a free transfer in the summer.
      “The expectation is that Leicester are going to try and hang on to Tielemans, they are not going to accept any financial offers now, because it’s more valuable to the football club to lose him on a free but have Tielemans help keep Leicester up.”
      Explaining that Arsenal and Newcastle are also still interested in the midfielder, he then adds: “We know Arsenal could be in the mix for a midfielder, especially with [Mohamed Elneny] injured and I’m still waiting to see if a Manchester United, less likely a Newcastle, possibly Arsenal choose to speed up the strategy on Tielemans and due to the need to put something down.
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      “I guarantee you as soon as anyone puts an offer down for Tielemans other clubs will have their heads turned and Manchester United are ones to watch in that capacity.”
      Tielemans arrived at Leicester on loan from Monaco in January 2019 and signed permanently six months later in a £32million move.
      He has made 184 appearances for the Premier League side, scoring 28 goals and providing 25 assists.
      Tielemans’ crowning moment at the club came in 2021 when he scored the winning goal in the FA Cup final.
      Meanwhile, Man Utd have been linked with a number of other midfielders over the past 12 months.
      Before signing Casemiro, they were in a long-running saga with Barcelona for Frenkie de Jong.
      They have also been linked with Roma man Nicolo Zaniolo and West Ham captain Declan Rice. More

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      Chelsea give Benfica transfer ultimatum over Enzo Fernandez as they draw up two offers including player swap deal

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      CHELSEA have reportedly handed Benfica a transfer ultimatum over Enzo Fernandez – despite the Blues trying to sign the midfielder.The Stamford Bridge club failed in their pursuit of the 22-year-old World Cup winner earlier in the January window.
      Chelsea want to sign Enzo Fernandez from Benfica but are yet to agree a dealCredit: Reuters
      Benfica have been strong in their stance, demanding the Premier League side meet the £106million release clause if they want Fernandez.
      However, according to TyC Sports, Chelsea have drawn up two different offers in an attempt to convince the Portuguese giants to sell.
      The first suggestion would see the Blues offer £88m up front with Benfica then getting to choose a player to receive as part of the deal, subject to approval from West London.
      The other offer would see Chelsea agree to pay the full £106m – but only in a series of instalments.
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      The report adds that Fernandez will not force through a transfer and Benfica are still determined to hold out for the full £106m.
      The Athletic add that super-agent Jorge Mendes is continuing to negotiate between the two clubs and has moved the discussions forward in recent days.

      Chelsea are aware plenty of clubs are likely to go in for Fernandez in the summer so want to pip their rivals to the Argentine holding midfielder.
      But should Todd Boehly manage to get a deal done before tomorrow’s transfer deadline, that would take his spending beyond £300m including add-ons and loan fees.
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      Graham Potter has added Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana, Andrey Santos, Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Malo Gusto and loan star Joao Felix in a frenetic month of transfer activity.
      However, Gusto returned to Lyon on loan for the remainder of the campaign.
      And Potter’s hopes of securing Felix beyond the summer could be dented by Barcelona reportedly opening talks over the Portuguese attacker. More

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      Arsenal target Ivan Fresneda left out of Valladolid squad to face Valencia as Gunners near £13m transfer for wonderkid

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      IVAN FRESNEDA was left out of Real Valladolid’s win against Valencia on Sunday as he nears a move to Arsenal.The Gunners are reportedly nearing a £13million winter move for the wonderkid right-back.
      Arsenal target Ivan Fresneda missed Real Valladolid’s win over ValenciaCredit: Rex
      And, with Tuesday night’s transfer deadline fast approaching it appears they may be near a breakthough.
      Fresneda, 18, is also wanted by top four rivals Newcastle.
      And Borussia Dortmund have made a bid too.
      But he is believed to have his heart set on Arsenal after missing training this week.
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      And he was also absent as Valladolid secured a late 1-0 win over Edinson Cavani’s Valencia on Sunday.
      Sky Sports claim Fresneda was not involved because of ongoing negotiations between Valladolid and the Gunners.
      It’s believed his club are open to doing business with Mikel Arteta’s side.
      But they are pushing for Fresneda to see out the rest of their season on loan.
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      And while Arsenal would prefer an immediate transfer, they could give in to Valladolid’s demands in order to strike a deal.
      Arteta already has Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu for his right side.
      But an agreement may not be fully reached until deadline day. More