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      in Soccer

      Man Utd wanted Cristiano Ronaldo to go to Barcelona instead of Real Madrid in 2009, where he could’ve played with Messi

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO and Lionel Messi’s rivalry almost never happened as the Portuguese star almost joined Barcelona.The former Manchester United ace broke the football transfer record when he left the club in in 2009 for Real Madrid in an £80million deal.

      Los Blancos had already splashed out on Karim Benzema, Xabi Alonso and Ballon d’Or winner Kaka in response to Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering debut season as Nou Camp chief the year before.
      But they were almost denied the jewel in returning president’s Florentino Perez’s masterplan if Sir Alex Ferguson had got his way.
      The legendary Scot was desperate to avoid losing Ronaldo to Real once he’d accepted that the former Sporting Lisbon winger was set to leave.
      Fergie had even said back in 2008 that he wouldn’t sell Madrid a ‘virus’ let alone his best player.
      And according to Spanish newspaper AS, the United boss realised at the time that Barcelona were the only other club who could afford Ronaldo, who now plays his football in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr.
      Fergie apparently contacted the Catalans to encourage a bid but the Portugal captain had already set his mind on a move to the Bernabeu.
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      Guardiola’s most notable signing that summer involved an infamous swap deal with Inter Milan involving Samuel Eto’o and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
      But the acquisition of Ronaldo would have not only ushered in an era of pure dominance for Barcelona, but also have cancelled out his famed rivalry with Messi.
      Whether Manchester City chief Pep could have managed to get the two to play together is up for debate, as he boasted an embarrassment of attacking riches while in charge of Barca.
      While Arsenal legend Thierry Henry flourished for Barca on the left wing, Ronaldo could have occupied the opposite flank to leave Messi in the hole behind Ibra.
      Yaya Toure and Sergio Busquets may have had to share a spot on the substitutes bench, with Spanish duo Xavi and Iniesta holding down the two spots in the middle.
      Messi was asked by Mundo Deportivo last year whether he would pass to Ronaldo if the two were on the same team.
      The Argentine joked: “I guess so, in the end, yes.”
      Cristiano Ronaldo sealed a then-world record transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid in 2009Credit: PA:Empics Sport
      The Portuguese superstar was also offered to Barcelona which would have made him teammates with Lionel MessiCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd More

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      in Soccer

      Heartbreaking reason Phil Jones turned down Man Utd testimonial as he’s finally set to leave club after 12 years

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      PHIL JONES once turned down a testimonial at Manchester United — as he claimed only his parents would come and watch.The defender – who is set to leave the club after 12 years – told team-mates the heartbreaking reason after reaching a decade at the club.
      Phil Jones turned down the opportunity to have a testimonial at Manchester UnitedCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      The central defender has struggled for fitness over the last few seasons and has cut an outside figure in the squad.
      Traditionally, United players who have served a decade at the club are honoured with a testimonial.
      But Jones happily to left any commitment to such a match out of the new contract he signed in February 2019, according to the Athletic.
      At the time, he also joked to Goal that “there’d be only my mum and dad who would turn up”, if they made the journey from the outskirts of Preston.
      The former Blackburn defender has not featured under Erik ten Hag this season.

      His last appearance for the club came in January 2022 as an emergency recall for him was made by interim manager Ralf Rangnick.

      When he leaves the Old Trafford side he will make his exit as a Premier League, FA Cup, Europa League, and League Cup winner.

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      Legendary Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson once claimed Jones, who cost £16.5m from Blackburn could become one of the club’s best ever players.
      But there is no doubt the Jones, 31, did not live up to Fergie’s expectations, despite playing for England caps and playing 229 games for  United in all competitions.
      Jones had slipped down the pecking order at United when he should have been in the prime of his careerCredit: Reuters More

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      Man Utd star Phil Jones names best five-a-side team and springs major surprise with top striker in DEFENCE

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      PHIL JONES has surprised as he named Dimitar Berbatov in his dream Manchester United five-a-side team – but has put him in the DEFENCE.A lot of people would suggest that the retired Bulgarian striker would be the perfect player on a smaller pitch.
      Phil Jones has named his ultimate Manchester United five-a-side team
      But not many would stick him at the back alongside Nemanja Vidic, especially when the Serb formed a rock-solid combo with Rio Ferdinand.
      David De Gea is, of course, picked in goal after years of being United’s last line of defence.
      Paul Scholes ties everything together as the creative spark in the middle, while Wayne Rooney stars up front.
      Jones himself is a United veteran, but is set to leave the club after 12 years as he is set to be released at the end of the season.
      On his decisions for his five-a-side team, the 31-year-old told Goal back in 2019: “I’ll go David [De Gea] No brainer.
      “Five-a-side so, do you know what? I’m going to be stupid here. I’m going to put Berba there. Berbatov.
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      “Berba used to annoy me in training, every single training session. He used to play at centre-half and when I said to him ‘no, the manager asked me to play there’, he was like ‘no, go somewhere else’.
      “He was unbelievable. I’ll put Berba there.
      “And I’ll put… I’ll put Vida [Vidic] in there as well just because he throws himself at everything.
      “Then I’m going to go with Scholesy. And I’ve got to go Wazza [Rooney].”
      Jones, De Gea and Berbatov line up for United ahead of 2011 Champions League group match against BenficaCredit: AFP
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      The defender made his team before Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Old Trafford, and then left again, meaning Jones may now have changed his mind on one of his strikers.
      Jones himself didn’t quite make his own team – and with his recent injury record it’s no wonder.
      The defender has been a fringe player at Old Trafford over the last few seasons because of his lack of fitness.
      He will now have to decide between joining a new club or retiring from football.
      Phil Jones has played with some exceptional stars since arriving at United in 2011Credit: PA:Empics Sport More

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      in Soccer

      Joey Barton claims QPR were the ‘least favourite’ of his ex-clubs and he left Newcastle because he was a ‘mercenary’

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      JOEY BARTON has admitted QPR were the ‘least favourite’ of his old clubs and claims he only joined them as he was a ‘mercenary’ and took the highest wage on offer.The 40-year-old is currently managing Bristol Rovers after leaving Fleetwood Town in 2021.
      Joey Barton has revealed QPR are the ‘least favourite’ of his old clubsCredit: Getty
      The one-capped England international appeared on Robbie Fowler’s podcast to discuss his rollercoaster career, including his infamous training ground bust-up with former City team-mate Ousmane Dabo.
      And in an open and frank interview with the Liverpool legend, the controversial ex-midfielder held nothing back as he discussed his time at QPR.
      And he openly admits the 2011 switch from Newcastle to the capital was purely “a financial decision” rather than a playing one.
      Barton said: “QPR is probably my least favourite (of my ex-clubs). I didn’t really enjoy it, I shouldn’t have gone in hindsight.
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      “I left Newcastle and I fell out with Mike Ashley and I was looking for a new home and I was about to start a new family and it became, ‘Who is the highest bidder’.
      “I knew I was a mercenary at that point in terms of I wasn’t moving to push on and push up the table, I knew I was moving as a financial decision.
      He added: “So QPR was tough, the fans didn’t particularly like me and I’ve still got 80 per cent of the fanbase who don’t like me because I earned a lot of money even though I turned it around in the end and captained them to promotion.
      “Probably for me Newcastle is the closest connection to the fans I had.”
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      Barton left QPR to join Marseille on loan in 2012 but returned to the club and helped them win promotion to the Premier League in 2014.
      He made 99 appearances for them in total before leaving permanently to join Burnley in 2015.
      Barton had a brief spell at Rangers in 2016 before heading back to Turf Moor to finish his playing career under Sean Dyche. More

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      in Soccer

      Manager legend Harry Redknapp claims Chelsea winning Champions League cost him Eden Hazard’s transfer at Spurs

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      HARRY REDKNAPP has revealed Tottenham came close to signing ex-Chelsea star Eden Hazard in 2012.The Belgian wizard joined the Blues from French side Lille in 2012 but then-Spurs boss Redknapp claims they were pipped to the post by their London rivals.
      Ex-Tottenham manager Redknapp revealed he came close to signing Eden Hazard during his time at the clubCredit: Darren Fletcher – The Sun
      The Belgian would go on to torment Spurs for seven years between 2012 and 2019Credit: Reuters
      Redknapp explained to Sky Sports how Chelsea’s Champions League triumph that year meant Spurs missed out on the now Real Madrid man – and instead watched him enjoy seven largely successful years in blue.
      He said: “I lost Eden Hazard, he wanted to come to Tottenham but he said he would only come if we got Champions League football.
      “We finished fourth that year, Chelsea finished sixth, they won the Champions League and we didn’t make it.
      “He ended up going to Chelsea.”
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      Spurs occupied third place for much of the 2011-12 season but a poor run of form saw them slip to fourth, causing them to miss out on Champions League football when Chelsea beat Bayern Munich on penalties to lift the trophy that year.
      Redknapp had hoped to team Hazard with Gareth Bale, who was starring for Spurs at the time during his first spell at the club, in a bid to end the north London outfit’s long wait for a league title.
      Bale would eventually return to Tottenham for a second stint in the 2020-21 season, before leaving Real Madrid for LAFC earlier this year.
      Redknapp, meanwhile, was sacked by Spurs following Chelsea’s Champions League win.
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      The 76-year-old was replaced by former Blue Andre Villas-Boas, with the Portuguese lasting 18 months at White Hart Lane.
      Redknapp went on to take charge of QPR for three years, before a brief stint managing the Jordan national team.
      His final job in management came at Birmingham City in 2017. More

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      in Soccer

      Harry Kane, Antoine Griezmann and Newcastle stars snubbed by Kieran Trippier, who names his best-ever team-mate

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      KIERAN TRIPPIER has named the best team-mate he has ever played alongside… and it may surprise a few people.The full-back has linked up with a host of superstar talent during his career.
      Trippier has surprised some with his pick for best ever team-mateCredit: Getty
      At Tottenham, he featured alongside the likes of Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and Son Heung-min.
      He then moved to Atletico Madrid and won the LaLiga title in a squad which included Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suarez and Joao Felix.
      And now he has returned to England with Newcastle where the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron are all featuring in the team.
      But Trippier does not consider any of those to be the best player he has played alongside.
      Dembele is incredibly well-respected among those he played alongsideCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Instead, the England full-back has stated that former Belgian midfielder Mousa Dembele is at the top of that list.
      Speaking to fans on social media, he said: “The best player I’ve ever played with has got to be Mousa Dembele when I was at Tottenham.
      “The guy was an absolute magician with the ball. I haven’t seen anyone like him before, so I’ve got to say him.”
      Dembele spent seven years at Tottenham between 2012 and 2019.
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      Trippier then joined the club in 2015 and enjoyed three-and-a-half seasons alongside the ex-Fulham midfielder.
      And Trippier is not the first person to praise Dembele for being a world class talent.
      The Belgian, who retired from football last year was once compared to Ronaldinho and Diego Maradona by former Spurs coach Mauricio Pochettino.
      Speaking in 2017, Poch said: “He has started to work very hard, we are very happy with him.
      “I always say, ‘Mousa, when I write my book I will say you are one of the genius players I have been lucky to meet’.
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      “They are Maradona, Ronaldinho, Jay-Jay Okocha, Ivan de la Pena and and Mousa Dembele.
      “We’ve always told him that if we had taken him at 18 or 19 years old, he would have become one of the best players in the world.” More

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      in Boxing

      KSI has a ‘HARDER’ punch than YouTube boxing rival Jake Paul, reveals sparring partner who has boxed BOTH

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      PROFESSIONAL boxer Muhsin Cason has claimed that KSI boasts heavier hands than his rival Jake Paul.The 29-year-old – brother of former heavyweight world champion Hasim Rahman – knows firsthand the duo’s power having sparred with both men.

      Jake Paul recently suffered defeat to Tommy FuryCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Muhsin Cason (right) has claimed that KSI hits harder than Jake PaulCredit: Instagram @themuslimboxer
      Cason sparred with KSI, who is fighting Joe Fournier this weekend, in 2019 before the Brit’s points win over Logan Paul.
      And he then traded punches with the Problem Child prior to the American’s knockout victory in his rematch with Tyron Woodley in December 2021.
      Speaking ahead of KSI’s TWO victories against Swarmz and Luis Pineda back in August, Cason lauded his punching power.
      Appearing on a Twitter space with Happy Punch Promotions via the Mirror, Cason – who has won all ten of his fights inside the ring – said: “That boy KSI hits hard.
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      “Regardless of how easy I took it on him and how it was training, I got to give to KSI.
      “How about this, KSI hits harder than Jake.
      “He got that African strength, I got to give it to him.”
      Cason, whose nephew Hasim Rahman Jr saw his fight with Jake fall through, then stated how he believes Paul would knock KSI out should they ever come to blows.
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      He bases his opinion on Jake being more experienced inside the ring.
      The cruiserweight remarked: “I’m a keep it honest, I got Jake. KSI is strong as hell, he has a hell of a right hand.
      “So does Jake, but I think Jake has better boxing because he’s been in it longer and has taken it more seriously.
      “I’d go with Jake Paul to beat him by knockout, unless KSI shows some better skills I think that Jake has just surpassed him right now.
      “I’ve seen Jake take a punch where I’m like ‘oh that would have knocked KSI out’ because I have hurt KSI with a punch. I don’t that KSI has a chin like that.
      “Jake’s got heart, KSI has heart too and I’m not taking anything anyway from him. Both of them have come into the sport and been on a stage bigger than a lot of us [professionals].” More

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      Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s car collection includes a fleet of Ferraris like his new £1.7m Daytona and Porsche worth £650k

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      AT 41, Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s football career shows no sign of slowing down.The Sweden legend is planning to plan on next season with Monza, after reportedly agreeing a deal to join the club from AC Milan.
      Zlatan Ibrahimovic boasts an amazing car collection, including a £1.7m Ferrari Daytona SP3Credit: Splash
      Sweden legend Ibrahimovic also has a stunning Ferrari Monza worth over £1m
      Ibrahimovic has been driving a £160k Lamborghini Urus to training with AC MilanCredit: Getty
      And when it comes to his motors, he still loves them fast and incredibly expensive.
      Zlatan boasts an amazing car collection that’ll be the envy of all dressing rooms around Europe.
      From an impressive fleet of Ferraris, including the recent £1.7million Daytona SP3 he added to his garage to an astonishing £650,000 Porsche – the centre forward is a true petrol head.
      But, he remained true to his roots when he became an ambassador for car makers Volvo, even driving their modest £40,000 XC40 to training at a former club.
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      The new addition
      This week, Zlatan really treated himself.
      For his 40th birthday, he bought himself a £400,000 Ferrari Sf90 Stradale.
      He shared an image of his new addition on Instagram, captioning the snap: “Happy Birthday to Zlatan”.
      It’s Ferrari’s first foray into electric cars and can reach a top speed up to 211 mph.
      But, he wasn’t totally convinced by it. Instead, he traded it for a Daytona SP3 with a price tag of £1.7million.
      The mid-engine V12 sportscar can hit 62mph in a staggering 2.86 seconds.
      Reports claim there is only 599 models of the car in the world.
      To treat himself for his 40th birthday, Zlatan splashed £400k on a Ferrari Sf90 Stradale – but he soon traded it in
      Ibrahimovic swapped his Sf90 Stradale for an amazing Daytona SP3Credit: Splash News
      Going vintage
      Zlatan clearly has a thing for Italian fast cars, and splashing out on a new set of wheels on his special day.
      In 2019, for his 38th, he bought a rare Ferrari Monza SP2 for a staggering £1.4million.
      He is only one of 499 people in the world that own the supercar.
      The superfast car can hit 0-60 mph in around 2.9 seconds.
      The Ferrari Monza is the most expensive in Zlatan’s car collection
      Capable of reaching 0-60 mph in just 2.9 seconds, the Monza is worth around £1.4m
      Current ride
      However, standing at 6ft 5in Zlatan needs a car that offers him plenty of leg room.
      That’s why, when it comes to training, he prefers an SUV.
      At AC Milan, the centre forward has been spied arriving to training in a £160,000 Lamborghini Urus.
      The Urus is a favourite of footballers at the moment, including former Man Utd star Cristiano Ronaldo who was once seen driving to Carrington in one.
      Zlatan drives his Lamborghini Urus to training at AC MilanCredit: Getty
      Statement red
      Only 400 Ferrari Enzo cars exist in the world, and Zlatan has one of them.
      Seen as a collector’s item, it’s a motor that can be sold for over a million pounds at auction.
      It was developed in 2002 using Formula One technology, including a a carbon-fibre body and F1-style automated-shift manual transmission.
      Although, we’ve rarely seen Zlatan driving it.
      Zlatan is one of 400 lucky owners who have a rare Ferrari Enzo worth around £1m
      Spider Man
      Between 2005-2009, the Ferrari F430 Spider was a footballers’ favourite.
      Chelsea legend John Terry, who himself is a Ferrari obsessive, was seen driving one around the streets of Surrey.
      When it was released, it carried a price tag of around £120,000.
      Nicknamed their ‘Baby Enzo’, it can hit 0-62 mph in four seconds.
      Over the years, Zlatan has got himself a fleet of Ferraris, including a 430 SpiderCredit: AFP
      When the Ferrari F430 was released in 2005, it carried £120,000 price tagCredit: Getty
      Top of the range Porsche
      Zlatan loves anything limited edition.
      Which is why he bought a £700,000 Porsche Spyder in and around 2014.
      Only 918 models were made of the supercar, which sold out completely in 2015.
      It was only the second plug-in hybrid car Porsche ever produced.
      Only 918 models of the Porsche Spyder exist in the world
      ANOTHER ITALIAN MASTERPIECE
      Italian gentleman’s car makers Maserati are renowned for their luxury vehicles.
      So, it goes without saying, Zlatan used his extensive time playing in Italy to research enough about the stylish car manufacturers.
      In about 2011, he bought a GranTurismo MC Stradale worth around £92,000.
      Under the hood, it boasts a 450 hp V8 engine and has a top speed of 187 mph.
      Luxury vehicles, like a £92,000 Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale, have also been part of Ibrahimovic’s fleet in the past
      The GranTurismo MC Stradale boasts a 450 hp V8 engine and has a top speed of 187 mphCredit: Handout
      COMPANY CAR
      In 2014, Zlatan became an ambassador for Swedish car manufacturers Volvo, appearing in a series of ads.
      Now, many footballers won’t often be seen driving the cars they’re sponsored for.
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      However, when Ibrahimovic was playing for Manchester United he was a happy with their XC90 model costing around £52,000.
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      Often, he would drive it to training and park it amongst a fleet of Lamborghinis and Range Rovers.
      And you can bet no one would’ve been brave enough to give him any stick for it.
      Volvo made Zlatan an ambassador and he appeared in ads for the Swedish car brand
      Zlatan happily drove a Volvo XC90 costing around £52,000 into CarringtonCredit: iCelebTV More