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      Arsenal ‘reject £7m Albert Sambi Lokonga transfer bid from Monaco’ with Gunners short on midfielders after injury blows

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      ARSENAL have reportedly rejected an offer worth £7million from Monaco for Albert Sambi Lokonga.The 23-year-old has not been a regular for the Gunners in the Premier League, but Mikel Arteta is short of options in midfield.
      Arsenal have reportedly rejected an approach from Monaco for Albert Sambi LokongaCredit: Getty
      An injury to Mohamed Elneny has left the league leaders particularly light in the middle of the park.
      And a recent £7m bid for Lokonga from Ligue 1 side Monaco was rebuffed, according to Foot Mercato.
      With Arsenal currently top of the Prem, as well as still in the FA Cup and Europa League, Arteta will need to rely on his entire squad.
      So a knee injury to Elneny leaves Lokonga as their only available midfield cover for Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey, although Oleksandr Zinchenko can also play there.
      Read More on Arsenal
      Belgian international Lokonga has started just two Prem games this season, but has featured 14 times in all competitions.
      The Gunners have already rejected a request from Monaco to take Lokonga on loan for the rest of the season.
      Instead Arteta has eyes on adding to his midfield before the transfer deadline on Tuesday.
      The Gunners have failed in a £60million bid for Brighton ace Moises Caicedo.
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      Arsenal are now weighing up how much they are prepared to pay to get a deal over the line.
      Arteta said: “We need more cover in midfield but it’s pretty complicated to do that in this market.
      “But if there’s anyone available who can make us better we will look at it.” More

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      Nottingham Forest ‘targeting PSG star Keylor Navas for shock transfer with Real Madrid legend keen on Premier League’

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      NOTTINGHAM FOREST are reportedly interested in signing PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas.The Premier League side is in the market for a new shot-stopper following the injury to loan star Dean Henderson.
      Nottingham Forest are reported targeting Keylor NavasCredit: Getty
      The Manchester United goalkeeper is currently on the sidelines and will miss the next four to five weeks as revealed by manager Steve Cooper.
      This has left the club with Welsh veteran Wayne Hennessey as their only senior option to go in goal.
      And now the club are targeting a move for three-time Champions League winner Navas, according to Fabrizio Romano.
      He tweeted: “Nottingham Forest are seriously interested in signing Keylor Navas on loan from PSG.
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      “Concrete idea as he’d be open to try Premier League experience.
      “Deal depends on Paris Saint-Germain – French club will decide whether they want to loan Keylor out or not.”
      The suggestion that Navas is keen on a move to England will be a big boost for Forest.
      PSG boss Christophe Galtier however has said that no decision has been made on Navas’ future.
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      He said: “We have to understand and listen to Keylor Navas thoughts on his future.
      “No decision has been made on our side, yet”
      The Costa Rican goalkeeper is currently behind Gianluigi Donnarumma in the pecking order at the Parc des Princes and could get more game time at the City Ground.
      He had been linked with a reunion with Cristiano Ronaldo at Saudi side Al-Nassr, but a talk of a move has cooled. More

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      Premier League international arrested for ‘rape’ has bail extended for a third time – leaving him free to play

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      A PREMIER League star arrested on suspicion of rape has had his bail extended until the summer.The footballer is accused of raping two women in separate attacks, one in June last year and one in April 2021.
      The footballer’s bail has been extended for a third timeCredit: Getty
      He had been due to answer police bail this month but this has now been extended for a third time until early July.
      The footballer, who was taken to the 2022 World Cup, was held last July after police swooped on a home in North London.
      His first alleged victim, in her 20s, claimed she was raped during a break in the Med in June.
      She fled the five-star resort she was staying in and flew home to her friends and family, it is said.
      Read more on the Premier League
      The woman is understood to have spoken to police on her return to the UK and showed photos she claimed highlighted bruising on her body after the alleged attack.
      After his initial arrest he was later re-arrested on suspicion of two more counts from April and June 2021.
      The June allegation was later dropped by police.
      The player has not been suspended by his club while the investigation is ongoing.
      Most read in Football
      Scotland Yard said previously: “On 4 July, an allegation of rape of a woman in her 20s was reported to police.
      “It was reported the alleged rape happened in June 2022.
      “While in custody, he was further arrested on suspicion of two incidents of rape that were alleged to have been committed in April and June of 2021 against a different woman in her 20s.
      “No further action will be taken in relation to the alleged offence in June 2021 because the relevant legislation had not yet come into effect at the time it is said to have occurred.
      “This has been explained to the complainant who continues to be supported by officers.” More

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      Inside Everton’s failed Marcelo Bielsa swoop as ex-Leeds boss bizarrely wanted to spend six months with U21s first

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      MARCELO BIELSA made bizarre requests during talks to take over as Everton manager.The Toffees decided against appointing the Argentine and look set to confirm Sean Dyche as Frank Lampard’s successor.
      Marcelo Bielsa made several bizarre requests to take over at EvertonCredit: AFP
      Sean Dyche is set to be appointed as Toffees bossCredit: PA
      But Bielsa was first-choice despite the former Leeds boss identifying several problems with the squad, including a lack of pace.
      Bielsa flew in from Brazil to discuss the manager’s job but after lengthy talks the Everton board decided he was not suitable.
      SunSport understands the 67-year-old wanted a three-and-a-half-year deal worth £10.5million a year.
      But weirdly he wanted to spend the first six months working with the Under-21s and the academy before stepping up to become first-team manager.
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      Bielsa also wanted to bring in eight coaches and explained he would need seven weeks to bring the squad up to date with his methods.
      But Everton are second bottom of the Premier League and need a manager to make an instant impact.
      Dyche is expected to be confirmed as the new Everton manager today – nine months after being sacked by Burnley.
      Former Toffees boss Sam Allardyce was considered, as was Davide Ancelotti, the son of another of Moshiri’s former managers Carlo.
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      Ralph Hassenhutl, unemployed since his dismissal from Southampton, also made the shortlist.
      Everton have already been trolled over their imminent appointment of Dyche, with a fan joking the 51-year-old is “crazy” to move to Goodison Park. More

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      I’m Arsenal’s 27-year old secret weapon in Premier League title charge who Mikel Arteta can’t do without

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      MIKEL ARTETA has done an incredible job guiding Arsenal to the top of the Premier League table.And the contributions of a certain 27-year-old have been key to the Gunners’ title charge.
      Mikel Arteta has done an outstanding job at ArsenalCredit: AFP
      Carlos Cuesta has been a key part of the Gunners’ rise to the top of the Premier League tableCredit: Getty
      But it’s not one of his players.
      Instead, coach Carlos Cuesta has played a major role in the stellar season so far at the Emirates.
      The 27-year-old is Individual Development Coach at Arsenal and works with stars on a one-to-one basis to help further their game.
      The Spaniard joined the Gunners back in 2020, shortly after they won the FA Cup.
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      And he is an invaluable member of Arteta’s coaching setup.
      Cuesta holds a Uefa Pro Licence, having began his coaching badges aged just 18.
      Incredibly, Cuesta can speak SIX languages; English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French and Catalan.
      That means he is still able to communicate with players effectively if English is not their first language.
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      Left-back Nuno Tavares, currently on loan at Marseille, previously praised Cuesta for the part he plays at the Emirates.
      In Arsenal’s ‘All or Nothing’ fly on the wall Amazon documentary, Tavares said: “Carlos can understand the players because he is also young.
      “He helps me get better and better.”
      Cuesta’s focus is on the technical and tactical side of the game – something that has come on leaps and bounds at Arsenal this season.
      The Gunners have marched to the top of the table playing an attractive brand of football, with Cuesta playing his part in that.
      Cuesta would have had his work cut out this week, ahead of tonight’s mouthwatering FA Cup forth round clash against Manchester City.
      Arteta and Co are currently five points clear of City at the top of the Premier League, with a game in hand.
      But tonight’s meeting is the first of three between the two sides in the next three months, where Cuesta is sure to have his methods put to the test. More

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      Lionel Messi voted best footballer of 2022 after World Cup win.. but GOAT rival Cristiano Ronaldo not even in top 50

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      LIONEL MESSI has been voted as the best footballer of 2022, but arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo did not even make the TOP 50. The Argentine, 35, enjoyed a great year as he won the Ligue 1 title and won the World Cup for the first time ever, while also receiving the gong for best player at the tournament.
      Lionel Messi was named the best player in 2022Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema completed the top threeCredit: Getty
      Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham were among a host of England stars to make the top 100 listCredit: Alamy
      Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo did not make even make the top 50Credit: Getty
      However, Ronaldo has seen his year go from bad to worse.
      A bright start to the year individually was overshadowed by Manchester United’s failings all around him.
      After being dropped by Erik ten Hag upon his arrival after failing to gain a summer transfer away from the club, Ronaldo then conducted an explosive interview with Piers Morgan.
      His contract at United was subsequently terminated, with Ronaldo then landing a record-breaking contract to play to in play in Saudi Arabia for Al-Nassr.
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      But a poor start to life there saw rival fans taunt Ronaldo with chants of “Messi, Messi, Messi.”
      Regardless, a list from the Guardian naming the “100 best male footballers in the world” revealed the pair’s huge gap.
      While Messi took top spot, French duo Kylian Mbappe – who scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final – and Karim Benzema completed the top three.
      Benzema won the Ballon d’Or for his performances at Real Madrid in 2022, while Mbappe’s prowess has been evident throughout the year despite off-field drama surrounding him.
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      Manchester City’s Erling Haaland came in fourth as he continues his ridiculous record of scoring goals for fun.
      Team-mate Kevin De Bruyne came in sixth, with Luka Modric sandwiched in between them.
      Robert Lewandowski, Vinicius Jr, Thibaut Courtois and Mo Salah completed the top 10.
      Outside of the top 10, ex-Liverpool ace Sadio Mane was put at number 11 after winning the African Cup of Nations with Senegal while Brazil superstar Neymar was 12th.
      Man United linked Harry Kane came in 13th with England prodigy Jude Bellingham directly behind him in 14th, while Man Utd star Casemiro came in directly behind them.
      The top 10 stars from the Guardian’s list plus a few notable names
      World Cup hero Emiliano Martinez came in 20th, while Arsenal talisman Bukayo Saka came in 22nd ahead of Rafael Leao and Phil Foden.
      Other Prem stars in the top 30 were Son Heung-Min, Virgil van Dijk, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva.
      There were slimmer Prem pickings from 31-50, with Julian Alvarez, Alisson, Martin Odegaard, Joao Cancelo and new Liverpool ace Cody Gakpo.
      Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo ranked in the 51st spot.
      Further down, in-form Marcus Rashford was ranked 58th best directly behind Riyadh Mahrez and in front of Luis Diaz and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
      Read More on The Sun
      Declan Rice, tipped to leave West Ham in the summer for £100million transfer, came in at 88th.
      Some other stars from England’s top division who made this 100-strong list included Gabriel Jesus (62), Hakim Ziyech (63), Cristian Romero (72), Lisandro Martinez (81), Darwin Nunez (82), Aleksandar Mitrovic (83) and Reece James (94). More

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      Arsenal have £60m Moises Caicedo transfer bid rejected by Brighton as Gunners look to beat Chelsea and Liverpool to star

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      BRIGHTON have rejected Arsenal’s £60million bid for midfielder Moises Caicedo.Now the League leaders are weighing up how much they are prepared to pay for the Ecuador international to get a deal over the line before next week’s transfer deadline.
      Arsenal have reportedly bid for Moises CaceidoCredit: Getty
      Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta admitted this week: “We need more cover in midfield but it’s pretty complicated to do that in this market.”
      But he does not want to go for the rest of the season with only Albert Sambi Lokonga to cover for Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka.
      And with Mo Elneny facing a long lay-off after suffering a knee injury, Arteta is stepping up his search for one more signing this month to give his squad the depth to maintain their title challenge.
      But Brighton are not going to give up 21-year-old Caceido without a fight and have already turned down an offer of £55million from Chelsea.
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      The south coast club have a history of holding out for the full asking price and refused to enter into negotiations before selling Ben White, Marc Cucurella and Yves Bissouma in the past couple of years.
      And it is understood that they could be demanding as much as £100million for Caicedo, who cost them just £4.5million when they bought him from Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle two years ago.
      Whether Arsenal would be willing to go that high remains to be seen having only just signed Leandro Trossard from Brighton for an initial £21million plus up to £5million in add-ons.
      They have also bought Polish defender Jakub Kiwior £17.5million from Spezia with the potential for a further £3.5million.
      Most read in Football
      But Arteta has been given the green light to spend big this month and selling clubs are aware that they were willing to pay as much as £88million for winger Mykhailo Mudryk before he recently signed for Chelsea.

      Everton’s Amadou Onana and Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi are both being monitored as potential alternatives if Arsenal can’t get Caicedo.
      But they are expected to make at least one improved bid for the tough-tackling Ecuadorian World Cup star and are still hopeful a deal can be struck before the window closes next Tuesday. More

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      Kaoru Mitoma & Lisanadro Martinez feature in the best Dream Team of Game Week 19

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      A TIP of the hat to Martyn Frankson, Game Week 19’s top Dream Team gaffer.The Everton fan amassed 162 points this past week thanks to a healthy allotment of big names and a couple savvy bargains.
      Let’s take a closer look at how he topped the pile…
      A brilliant blendCredit: dream team
      By now, Dream Team gaffers know that Newcastle’s defensive assets are ultra reliable and two more clean sheets meant Nick Pope (£5.3m), Fabian Schar (£5m) and Kieran Trippier (£6.6m) combined for 50 points.
      The latter is now 21 points shy of bringing up his double century having earned a whopping SEVEN Star Man awards – the most of any player so far this season.
      Martyn’s stroke of genius was not going all in on Eddie Howe’s defence; instead of backing Sven Botman (£4.7m) or Dan Burn (£4.9m) he opted for Lisandro Martinez (£4.4m).
      The Argentine centre-back scored against Arsenal and earned a 7+ rating to counteract the minus points he endured because Man United conceded three to the Gunners.
      Martinez then scooped a Star Man award after ensuring his side kept a clean sheet against Nottingham Forest in their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg in midweek.
      The Red Devils’ No6 banked 19 points in total to finish level with Trippier as Game Week 19’s best defender.
      Holy goalieCredit: getty
      Both Kevin De Bruyne (£7.2m) and Riyad Mahrez (£6.1m) are among the top three midfielders overall and the Man City pair combined for a steady ten points this past week.
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      Bukayo Saka (£4.3m) scored a wonderful long-distance goal on Sunday to pouch eight points at the expense of Erik ten Hag’s side.
      Martyn brilliantly complemented these three popular superstars with Kaoru Mitoma (£2.6m).
      The Japan international scored a pleasing curled effort from the edge of the box against Leicester, his fifth goal in his last nine games at club level.
      The 25-year-old features in just 0.5% of teams which meant Martyn was among a tiny minority of managers who benefited from the winger’s 13-point haul.
      One of many Brighton assets punching above their weight
      In contrast, Erling Haaland (£9.1m) is by far the most-popular asset in the game with a massive ownership of 74.2%.
      Man City’s prolific No9 scored his fourth Premier League hat-trick of the campaign to take Wolves for 28 points – his total now stands at a ginormous 256.
      Elsewhere, Marcus Rashford (£5.7m) continued his scoring flurry with goals against Arsenal and Forest, he’s scored ten goals since returning from the World Cup.
      Man United’s boy wonder added 16 points to his total this past week and his ownership is up to 31.7%.
      Last but by no means least it’s Eddie Nketiah (£3.5m), another of Martyn’s savvy bargains.
      Arsenal’s junior poacher bagged a brace in the entertaining 3-2 win over Man United and scooped the Star Man award in the process to claim 18 points.
      Read More on The Sun
      Impressive work from a Dream Team boss who clearly has his finger on the pulse.
      Good luck to all gaffers for Game Week 20! More