Premier League

JAN PAUL VAN HECKE is dreaming of following in the footsteps of his World Cup finalist uncle.The Brighton defender’s own flesh and blood Jan Poortvliet played in the 1978 final when Holland lost 3-1 to hosts Argentina in extra-time.
Jan Paul van Hecke is dreaming of making the Holland squad for the EurosCredit: Getty
His uncle Jan Poortvliet (left) played for Holland in the 1978 World Cup finalCredit: Rex
Poortvliet later managed Southampton between 2008 and 2009Credit: Rex
Poortvliet, Southampton boss between 2008-09, was left in tears when he saw Van Hecke feature in the Brighton side that beat Ajax 2-0 in November’s Europa League clash in Amsterdam.
Van Hecke, 23, said: “My uncle is enjoying my journey, he played at the highest level. He said he is proud and he watches me every game.
“When I played against Ajax, winning away made him emotional, he was in tears.”
Holland boss Ronald Koeman was in the Ajax crowd watching uncapped Van Hecke ahead of this summer’s Euros.
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Van Hecke has been on a meteoric rise from being loaned to Blackburn in 2020 to his key role in Brighton sealing Europa League football last term.
Now he is licking his lips at the prospect of a spot at the Euros in Germany to make his uncle proud.
Competition for places at the Euros will be fierce though, with Van Hecke looking to prove he can hold his own with the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Matthijs de Ligt, Nathan Ake, Micky van de Ven and Sven Botman.
Van Hecke, capped eight times at Under-21 level, added: “My uncle tells me featuring at a major tournament is one of the best things.
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“I hope I can prove to Koeman that I should be there.
“My uncle told me all the stories from the World Cup, he said they were robbed against Argentina!”
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NEWCASTLE’S Saudia Arabian owners are targeting an £800million takeover of Roma, according to reports.The Saudi Public Investment Fund [PIF] purchased Newcastle from Mike Ashley in October 2021.
The Saudis are looking to buy another club after taking over NewcastleCredit: AFP
And the PIF are now planning to add Serie A giants Roma to their portfolio, according to La Repubblica.
Talks are underway with Roma’s American owners Dan and Ryan Friedkin, with the PIF understood to be planning a £768m offer.
The Saudis are also planning to invest a further £258m into the club to build a new stadium in Pietralata.
Private investor Turki Alalshikh, who is a royal adviser and president of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, could front the takeover bid.
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However, the Friedkins could prove tough negotiators as they value the club at £1billion and want to remain majority shareholders.
Roma’s legal chief Eric Williamson, who works closely with the Friedkins, has been spotted in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
He is believed to have discussed a potential takeover with the Saudis, as well as the club’s sponsorship deal with Riyadh Season, a Saudi sports and leisure festival that now features on the front of the Roma kit.
The PIF is part of the Saudi state and reportedly has resources of up to £1.1trillion.
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The sovereign wealth fund that holds a majority stake in Newcastle was valued at around £315bn when the takeover was confirmed.
The PIF purchased the Magpies for around £300m.
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MANCHESTER CITY winger Jack Grealish was spotted filming a new advert for Pepsi today.The 28-year-old recently agreed a seven-figure deal with the soft drinks company.
Jack Grealish was spotted filming a new advert for PepsiCredit: Splash
The Man City star was showing off his skills in front of a crowdCredit: Splash
He was filming the advert at WembleyCredit: Splash
He was using a Champions League footballCredit: Splash
Grealish signed a seven-figure deal with Pepsi this weekCredit: Splash
He is set to be the face of a brand new ad campaign alongside former footballer Vinnie Jones.
A source said: “Jack is banking another million with his new Pepsi deal.
“It’s for a new advertising campaign with Vinnie Jones who has also been signed up.
“Both of them have filmed their parts for the advert and it’ll be seen by fans later this year.
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“Jack is worth every penny as far as Pepsi are concerned because everything he touches turns to gold.
“It’s a really fun advert, and Jack and Vinnie are following in the footsteps of other big players like David Beckham and Lionel Messi.”
Grealish was today spotted filming at Wembley among a large crowd of fans.
He was pictured showing off some skills with a Champions League football.
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The winger was part of the Man City squad that won the treble last season.
He lifted the Champions League trophy, the Premier League trophy and the FA Cup with the Cityzens.
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As well as his Pepsi deal, Jack is a brand ambassador for Italian fashion house Gucci and has also sealed mega-money deals with US audio company Bose and German sportswear firm Puma.
Last December, a gang of robbers struck at his Cheshire mansion, stealing watches and jewellery worth £1million.
Jack’s fiancée Sasha Attwood, 27, and family members were there at the time.
Jack Grealish enjoyed being in the limelight outside WembleyCredit: Splash
The star took a classic black taxi to the filmingCredit: Splash
Grealish showed off his skills to the fansCredit: Splash
The England star recently posed with his new £25,000 Belgian Malinois protection dog in a “show of strength” after his burglary ordeal.
The star, also seen with cockapoo Skye, wrote “My two babies” next to the online pic, adding a heart emoji.
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BORUSSIA DORTMUND are ready to steal Jadon Sancho from Manchester United but there is one condition.With the Red Devil loanee’s current price tag unaffordable for the German club, the winger will need to tell Old Trafford he wants a permanent move.
Borussia Dortmund are ready to sign Jadon Sancho in permanent transferCredit: Rex
For the move to happen the Man Utd loanee must put pressure on the Red DevilsCredit: Getty
Following a very public fallout with current United manager Erik ten Hag, it’s hard to see how Sancho will go back to United.
The 23-year-old has not had the same success in the Manchester outfit as he has with the yellow and black shirt.
And now having returned to Dortmund for a second spell the club will do everything they can to not let Sancho go for a second time, according to Christian Falk at Caught Off Side.
The report claims Dortmund chiefs are “hopeful” of keeping Sancho beyond his loan.
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The Englishman has been in superb form since his return to Germany, registering two assists in his opening three Bundesliga games.
But the club will need his help because United are currently expecting £40-50m for the winger.
To get the price down Dortmund want Sancho to put United “under pressure” to sell him, the report added.
This principal already worked with his loan which was very cheap for the Bundesliga side at around £3.5million.
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This would mean Sancho would have to give up his £290,000 a week salary at Old Trafford.
Meanwhile, the England international has impressed already Marco Rose’s side winning every game he has featured in.
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MICHAEL JOHNSON was expected to be the future of England’s midfield but now works as an estate agent.The ex-Manchester City star burst onto the Premier League scene in 2006 as a teenager.
Michael Johnson retired at the age of 24Credit: PA:Press Association
But Johnson’s progress was halted by persistent injuries.
He sustained regular abdominal problems and had to undergo a double-hernia operation while trying to nail down a place in the starting XI.
Further knee issues followed and he ended up playing just 45 times for Man City and twice for England’s Under-21s.
Johnson struggled to cope with the pressure put on him and turned to drink as he then dealt with knee and hip injuries.
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He was twice arrest for drink-driving in the year leading up to his release from Man City in 2012.
Johnson hung up his boots at the age of 24 and he also suffered with his mental health, twice entering The Priory.
Micah Richards played with the now 35-year-old estate agent while he was at the Etihad.
He explained on the Rest is Football podcast: “People were saying he was a mix of Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard.
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“He was tenacious, he could pass, he could arrive in the box late. He was the best natural player at Man City since Colin Bell.
“He got paid a lot of money at a young age and we’d go out on a Saturday and on a Tuesday or a Wednesday.
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“He would be the best player in training the next day, he was fitter, as strong as anyone and technically as good.
“But he got injured and when he returned he wasn’t the same player. His posture wasn’t the same afterwards.
“He got back – but he started drinking and there is no way back for him as a footballer.
“But he is happy with just being an estate agent. His life is a lot better.
“Some players just can’t deal with the physical and mental demands that the game puts on you.
“The papers every week would be saying he’s so great – but really inside, he wasn’t strong enough to deal with that at the time.”
A young Micheal Johnson was compared to both Frank Lampard and Steven GerrardCredit: Getty More

FORMER Chelsea assistant Jody Morris has revealed Declan Rice wanted to rejoin Chelsea years before his departure to Arsenal.Rice has ended up becoming one of the Premier League’s best midfielders and was sold to the Gunners for £105million last summer.
Chelsea assistant Jody Morris said Declan Rice wanted to rejoin ChelseaCredit: Alamy
Rice spent seven years at Chelsea’s academy
During Frank Lampard’s days as Chelsea’s manager from 2019-2021 Morris who worked as the boss’s assistant claimed he was targeting Rice to replace injured N’Golo Kante.
He said in an interview with No Tippy Tappy Football brought to you by William Hill: “I was always on Frank Lampard’s case saying how unbelievable Rice would be for us when N’Golo Kante kept getting injured.
“And he wasn’t sure at first, but a month later he was all over him!
“I messaged Declan Rice when I was at Chelsea, and I asked him whether he’d come back, even after being released by the club.
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“He said, “I’m a Chelsea fan, of course I would!”
“And from then on Lampard was speaking to him and the upstairs members at the club were talking to his parents.”
Rice was released by Chelsea’s academy in 2013 to the Hammers after spending seven years at the club.
And Morris claims West Ham would have accepted a bid worth £60 million.
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He continued: “In the end, it got put on the back burner in favour of a couple of other signings.
“I didn’t end up going through, but at the time they were quoting around £60-65 million so that would’ve been a steal for someone who could have easily been at the club for 10 years.
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At West Ham, Rice succeeded Mark Noble as club captain and led the club to a UEFA Europa Conference League title the following year, as well as being named the competition’s Player of the Season.
After making 245 appearances for West Ham, Rice was signed by Arsenal in July 2023 for a club record fee of £105m, making him the joint-most expensive English player in history.
In his debut game for Arsenal, the midfielder won the Community Shield against Manchester City.
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ARSENAL icon Mesut Ozil trolled Atletico Madrid with a cheeky comment about football’s new blue card.It was revealed on Thursday that blue cards could be brought into the game.
Mesut Ozil has trolled Atletico Madrid with a comment about blue cardsCredit: Getty
The midfielder played against Atletico eight times during his time at Real MadridCredit: Getty
Players on the receiving end will have to spend 10 minutes of the match on the sidelines.
If implemented, they will be given for cynical fouls or dissent towards an official.
The prospect of the rule change has not been well-received by fans and pundits, with Paul Merson fearing that it will have a negative effect.
Meanwhile, former Arsenal star Ozil responded to the announcement by poking fun at Atletico Madrid.
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He tweeted: “So Atletico Madrid will only play with 6 players then?”
The 35-year-old’s comment left fans in stitches, with one person responding: “Thought it was a parody lol, Ozil doesn’t miss 😭.”
Another wrote: “Common Ozil W.”
While a third commented: “Ozil skills off pitch 😂.”
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Ozil came up against Atletico on eight occasions during his time at Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013.
He left the Santiago Bernabeu to join Arsenal in 2013 and went on to make 254 appearances for the Gunners.
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