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      How Andy Carroll could have been playing in the Champions League knockouts THIS season – but failed a medical

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      ANDY CARROLL could have played in the Champions League knockout rounds THIS season – but failed a medical. The striker, 33, was a free agent when his short-term contract with West Brom expired in the summer.
      Club Brugge rejected the chance to sign Andy Carroll, who rejoined Reading insteadCredit: Getty
      The Belgian side qualified for the Champions League knockout stagesCredit: AFP
      Club Brugge were willing to offer him a deal, but they pulled out when they were unconvinced by his “insufficient” medical test results.
      That blew Carroll’s chances of making his Champions League debut.
      Now the Belgian giants are heading into the knockout stages of the tournament for the first time since its rebrand in 1992.
      Brugge finished second in Group B behind Porto but ahead of Bayer Leverkusen and Atletico Madrid, who surprisingly ended up with the wooden spoon.
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      Carl Hoefkens’ side won their first three matches this season without conceding a goal – including 4-0 away at Porto – and added two further 0-0 draws to qualify.
      They did it all with two-goal hero Ferran Jutgla up front – instead of the former £35million Liverpool flop Carroll.
      When the Brugge deal fell through, Carroll rejoined Championship side Reading in September on a four-month contract – taking the No2 shirt.
      He has scored twice in eight appearances in the second tier – rather than competing at Europe’s top table.
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      Carroll has struggled with various injury issues throughout his career which have had a significant impact on his fitness levels.
      He has not made more than 20 league appearances in a season since 2015-16, when he was playing for West Ham.
      The former England international left his honeymoon in Mexico to hold talks with Brugge, but then had to resume his search for a new club.
      Carroll married reality TV star Billi Mucklow earlier this year before jetting across the world.
      However, just weeks before the pair were due to tie the knot he was pictured in bed with two women after a night of drinking on his stag do in Dubai.
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      The Sun revealed how Billi was left devastated, telling pals she was in “no mood” to get married.
      But the pair reconciled before the big ceremony in Hampshire.
      Carroll is slugging it out in the Championship againCredit: Reuters More

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      Barcelona legend Lionel Messi’s worst team-mates XI, including Alex Song who failed at Camp Nou to TWO Sunderland flops

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      LIONEL MESSI is a record seven-time Ballon d’Or king, a four-time Champions League winner and is now hoping to fire Paris Saint-Germain to an elusive Champions League.The 35-year-old Argentine, who also secured his nation the Copa America last year, is quite rightly heralded by many as the greatest player of all time.
      Lionel Messi is now a seven-time Ballon d’Or winnerCredit: EPA

      Having graced Barcelona’s Camp Nou for more than 15 years and now the Parc des Princes, many great players have purred over getting to take to the field alongside the icon.
      PSG strike partner and ex-Barca team-mate Neymar referred to it as playing with his ‘idol’, while Xavi gushed: “It is clear that Messi is on a level above all others. Those who do not see that are blind.”
      But while those two were fantastic in their own right for Barcelona, not everybody that has had the pleasure of playing with Messi can say the same.
      Barca bosses even started to be criticised for ‘wasting’ some of Messi’s peak with poor decision making.
      There are several who should count themselves lucky to have lined up alongside him.
      And here we take a look at possibly the worst XI of the bunch:
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      Willy Caballero
      Messi played alongside the Southampton stopper at the 2018 World CupCredit: Reuters
      The shiny-headed Argentine is well-known to English football fans, having warmed benches at Southampton, Chelsea, and before that Manchester City since arriving on these shores in 2014.
      His performances in presumably the League Cup earned him a place in his national team’s World Cup squad in 2018.
      Boss Jorge Sampaoli made the bold call to start him in the opening two group games in the absence of fellow Prem benchwarmer Sergio Romero.
      The decision backfired spectacularly against Croatia, however, when Caballero farcically scuffed a back pass straight to Ante Rebic, who thwacked it past him to set the would-be finalists on their way to a 3-0 win.
      Douglas
      Douglas was awful at right-back for BarcaCredit: AFP – Getty
      Douglas was one of a number of bizarre Barcelona signings to make this list.
      The Brazilian arrived at the Camp Nou as a little-known 24-year-old from Sao Paolo in 2014 and never convinced in a Barca shirt.
      He looked edgy and nervous in his rare appearances, like he couldn’t quite believe he was there.
      Douglas swiftly fell behind even former Brighton right-back Martin Montoya in the pecking order, and was sent packing on numerous loan spells before the end of his almost-criminally long five-year deal in 2019.
      He now plays (now and then) for Besiktas in Turkey.Santiago Vergini
      The hapless Vergini (right) was hopeless at SunderlandCredit: AFP
      The clumsy defender is probably best remembered in England for scoring one of the most spectacular own goals of all time for Sunderland against Southampton in a remarkable 8-0 defeat for the Black Cats.
      If that is to be British fans’ only memory of Vergini’s spell in the Premier League, it is a fitting one.
      Despite this aberration, that very same month he lined up alongside Messi in a 7-0 romp over Hong Kong for his country, a match in which the 5ft 6in forward bagged twice.
      Now 34, Vergini last turned out for Atletico Tucuman back in his native Argentina – but it appears to be a free agent now.
      Dmytro Chygrynskiy
      Chygrynskiy arrived from Shakhtar in 2009… but returned just a year later
      Dmytryo Chygrynskiy arrived at Barcelona for £20million in the summer of 2009, a lot of money for a defender in those days.
      He had impressed for Shakhtar in their run to winning the previous season’s Uefa Cup, convincing Pep Guardiola to splash out on the shaggy-haired Ukrainian.
      But he struggled to learn Spanish, and could not dislodge Carles Puyol or Gerard Pique at the back for the European champions.
      Chygrynskiy was sent packing back to Shakhtar after just 851 minutes of action for Barcelona, although it was rumoured to be against Guardiola’s wishes – with president Sandro Rosell sanctioning the deal having been so unimpressed with the signing.
      Marc Muniesa
      Future Stoke benchwarmer Muniesa received a Champions League medal at BarcaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Marc Muniesa received a Champions League winners’ medal in 2009 without playing a single minute in that season’s competition, by virtue of simply being sat on the bench for the final.
      If, warming up that day on the touchline of Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, Muniesa imagined that this sort of occasion would be a regular fixture of his career, he would be half right… there would be a lot of sitting on the bench.
      After just four appearances for the Blaugrana, he was sent packing to Stoke of all places, where the most appearances he managed in a Premier League season was a paltry 19.
      He now plays for Al-Arabi in the Saudi “Stars” League.Alex Song
      Alex Song was a nuisance for Messi even before becoming his team-mateCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      Once regarded as a fairly solid Premier League player at Arsenal, Alex Song walked the well-trodden path from the Emirates to Camp Nou in 2012.
      Unfortunately for him, it was to go more the way of Alexander Hleb than Thierry Henry.
      The Cameroonian failed to impress as Sergio Busquets’ understudy, and is probably most remembered for mistakenly thinking that captain Puyol wanted to single him out to lift a trophy with, rather than the recent liver tumour survivor Eric Abidal stood beside him.
      Now 35, he has had spells at West Ham, Rubin Kazan and FC Sion, but now plays for Djiboutian side Arta/Solar7.
      Enzo Perez
      Enzo Perez was quick to help him celebrate, if little elseCredit: Alamy Live News
      Enzo Perez is a scruffy little midfielder with heaps of tenacity, but not much else.
      Javier Mascherano often had to completely carry that Argentina side’s midfield, largely because alongside him, Perez was somehow winning 26 caps.
      Following a torrid spell at Valencia after joining from Benfica in 2014, the 36-year-old has represented River Plate in his home country for the last five years.Sandro Ramirez
      Sandro (left) was given chances at Barca before flopping at EvertonCredit: AFP
      It’s hard to believe that Sandro Ramirez was on the books at Everton, following his disastrous transfer in the summer of 2017 until 2020.
      It’s harder still to believe that he made 32 appearances in an attack that also featured Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.
      The Spaniard mustered seven goals for the side from whom’s academy he graduated – albeit six more than he got for the Toffees.
      Now 27, Sandro is struggling at Huesca and was shipped out on loan to Las Palmas in the summer.Kevin-Prince Boateng
      Boateng was a bizarre January 2019 loan signingCredit: Getty – Contributor
      When you think of “Boateng” and “Messi”, your mind is probably more likely to turn to the Argentine’s humiliation of Kevin-Prince’s brother Jerome against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
      But there was a weird spell when Leo was playing alongside the former Tottenham flop in 2019, when Barcelona signed him on loan from Sassuolo.
      The Ghanaian international looked like a fish out of water when plonked up front by Ernesto Valverde.
      He has since turned out for Besiktas, Fiorentina and Monza and is now back at Hertha Berlin.Ricky Alvarez
      Alvarez somehow played with Messi at the 2014 World Cup, despite being rubbish for SunderlandCredit: Action Images – Reuters
      It seemed something of a coup when Sunderland managed to sign Ricky Alvarez on loan from Inter Milan on deadline day in the summer of 2014.
      This was, after all, an Argentine international that had just spent the summer at the World Cup alongside Messi.
      It was a disaster, however, on account of Alvarez being unfit, and rubbish.
      The Black Cats then found themselves embroiled in a legal tangle after trying to get out of a permanent deal – with the horror transfer rumoured to have ultimately cost Sunderland around £20m in total.Franco Di Santo
      Di Santo was inconsistent at best across spells at Wigan, Blackburn and ChelseaCredit: Dave Pinegar – The Sun
      You’re Lionel Messi, you’re captain of your national team, a regular Ballon d’Or winner, it’s March 2013 and you’ve trekked to the high altitude of Bolivia to play in a World Cup qualifier.
      It’s 1-1, the conditions are stifling, the campaign isn’t going well – so imagine how you feel when your manager is readying a Wigan Athletic striker to come on and save the day.
      Well that’s exactly what happened, except the save the day bit.
      Having mustered a whopping five goals in the Premier League that season for Roberto Martinez’s side, Di Santo found himself playing with Messi for Argentina.
      The score remained 1-1, and mercifully for Messi he only once had to play with Di Santo again. More

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      Lionel Messi’s $9m Miami apartment has lift for car he’s bought ahead of potential transfer to Beckham’s MLS side

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      LIONEL MESSI has reportedly already laid down roots in Florida should Inter Miami continue their interest in the Argentinian star. The ace, 35, is currently playing for French club Paris Saint-Germain after leaving Barcelona.
      Lionel Messi has reportedly bought an apartment at the Porsche Design Tower – which boasts stunning views of the Miami coastlineCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Lionel Messi may decide to head across the Atlantic to see out his playing daysCredit: AFP or licensors
      The tower contains a lift for residents’ carsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      A showhome from Porsche Design Tower’s grand opening reveals the luxury withinCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      But Messi could eventually have his heart set on a move to MLS.
      He told Spanish TV station La Sexta earlier this year: “My plan is to give all I can for the club at the moment.
      “I would like to play in the United States and experience life and the league there, but ultimately come back to Barcelona in some capacity.
      “I’m not thinking too far ahead in the short-term and just want to see how the season finishes.”
      Read More on The Sun
      According to Madrid-based radio station Cadena Ser, Messi has already made his first move towards Miami with the purchase of a luxury apartment in the city.
      A pad worth at least $9million was reportedly purchased by the Argentine in 2021.
      The swanky Porsche Design Tower, completed in 2017, sits on the Sunny Isles beachfront in Miami.
      Branded by the German supercar manufacturer of the same name, the building boasts three car lifts allowing residents to park their vehicle on the same floor as their suite.
      The forward is said to prefer to school his three kids Stateside while seeing out his playing days.
      Flats inside the tower feature grandiose living areasCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Messi could decide to mix with the great and the good of Miami inside the luxury buildingCredit: Getty Images – Getty
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      Such an opportunity would heighten talk of a move to David Beckham’s Inter Miami.
      Last season, they finished 11th in the MLS Eastern Conference while being linked to a wealth of star names.
      Blaise Matuidi and Gonzalo Higuain joined Inter during the 2020 campaign and Olivier Giroud was reportedly offered an apartment in Porsche Design Tower to tempt him into a move.
      Messi is heading to the World Cup with Argentina this fall and has already netted 21 times in 20 appearances for club and country this season.
      The showhome’s dining room shows off the typical decor of the apartment blockCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Messi is reportedly considering a move to MLS in 2023Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      The Porsche Design Tower was opened in 2017Credit: Getty Images – Getty More

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      Man Utd Premier League winner looks unrecognisable 15 years later as he rides on a bike outside modest home

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      THIS ex-Manchester United star and Premier League winner looks unrecognisable as he rides around on a bike outside his modest home.The 36-year-old has ditched his gelled hair and shaved face for a slick-looking beard for his ride around on two wheels.
      The former Man Utd ace was spotted out and about on a bikeCredit: SPLASH NEWS
      The 36-year-old has a Premier League and Champions League medal to his nameCredit: SPLASH NEWS
      He was wearing shorts and leggings, and a grey beanieCredit: SPLASH NEWS
      He was snapped taking a spin outside a modest house.
      And the ex-Red Devil in question? Chris Eagles.
      Eagles joined Man Utd aged just 14 in 2000, and went on to play six times for the Red Devils.
      He also dated Hollyoaks star Jennifer Metcalfe during a stormy on-off relationship.
      When he was 15, he was called into Sir Alex Ferguson’s office for a dose of the infamous hair-dryer treatment.
      Eagles played for Manchester United from 2003 to 2008Credit: PA:Press Association
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      Speaking to Ladbrokes, he recalled the meeting with the legendary boss, saying: “I drove a car somewhere when I was 15 and Sir Alex found out about it and called me in his office. I was petrified.
      “It’s the worst experience ever because you don’t know what he’s going to do.
      “I can remember standing outside of his office, sweating, going red.
      “He used to have a folder where he used to keep his notes. It was a hard-back.
      “Every time he walked past me he used to just slap me on the head with it – all in good humour obviously.
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      “He was just a great manager, a great guy, and that’s how he got his respect.”
      The dad-of-two, who won the Premier League AND Champions League, retired from professional football in January 2020.
      He made 74 Premier League appearances, scoring seven goals.
      Eagles played most of his games in the Championship though, featuring 223 times for Bolton among others.
      His last club was Oldham Athletic, making 18 appearances for the League Two club. More

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      Man Utd Premier League winner looks unrecognisable 15 years later as he rides around on a bike

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      THIS ex-Manchester United star and Premier League winner looks unrecognisable as he rides around on a bike.The 36-year-old has ditched his gelled hair and shaved face for a slick-looking beard for his ride around on two wheels.
      The former Man Utd ace was spotted out and about on a bikeCredit: SPLASH NEWS
      The 36-year-old has a Premier League and Champions League medal to his nameCredit: SPLASH NEWS
      He was wearing shorts and leggings, and a grey beanieCredit: SPLASH NEWS
      He was snapped taking a spin outside a modest house.
      And the ex-Red Devil in question? Chris Eagles.
      Eagles joined Man Utd aged just 14 in 200, and went on to play six times for the Red Devils.
      He also dated Hollyoaks star Jennifer Metcalfe during a stormy on-off relationship.
      When he was 15, he was called into Sir Alex Ferguson’s office for a dose of the infamous hair-dryer treatment.
      Eagles played for Manchester United from 2003 to 2008Credit: PA:Press Association
      Read more on Man Utd
      Speaking to Ladbrokes, he recalled the meeting with the legendary boss, saying: “I drove a car somewhere when I was 15 and Sir Alex found out about it and called me in his office. I was petrified.
      “It’s the worst experience ever because you don’t know what he’s going to do.
      “I can remember standing outside of his office, sweating, going red.
      “He used to have a folder where he used to keep his notes. It was a hard-back.
      “Every time he walked past me he used to just slap me on the head with it – all in good humour obviously.
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      “He was just a great manager, a great guy, and that’s how he got his respect.”
      The dad-of-two, who won the Premier League AND Champions League, retired from professional football in January 2020.
      He made 74 Premier League appearances, scoring seven goals.
      Eagles played most of his games in the Championship though, featuring 223 times for Bolton among others.
      His last club was Oldham Athletic, making 18 appearances for the League Two club. More

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      Inside Jake Paul’s insane car collection that includes a £165k Lamborghini Huracan, and a custom-wrapped £81k Tesla

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      WHEN YouTuber Jake Paul made it, the first thing he did was treat himself to his dream car.He splashed £165,000 on a brilliant blue Lamborghini Huracan and immediately posted an emotional video on social media sharing his delight about his expensive purchase.
      YouTuber Jake Paul boasts an insane collection of expensive carsCredit: Instagram / @jakepaul
      Paul shows off his ‘dream car’ – a Lamborghini HuracanCredit: Instagram / @jakepaul
      But that’s not the only amazing motor Paul, who will square up to MMA fighter Ben Askren on Saturday, has in the garage of his Los Angeles mansion.
      Here’s his fine collection of cars in full.
      LAMBORGHINI HURACAN, £165,000
      In 2018, Paul, 25, treated himself to a flashy supercar.
      And his bright blue Lamborghini Huracan Performante really is the most lavish thing he’s been seen behind the wheel of.
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      Although he had to wait six months to get his hands on one, when it arrived the social media influencer declared it his ‘dream car’ and shot a video revealing his ’emotion’ that driving a Lambo was about to become a reality.
      Performance-wise, when Paul took it for a spin, he wouldn’t have been disappointed either.
      Boasting 631bhp, it’s capable of reaching 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds and has a top speed of 212mph.
      Boxer Paul splashed on a £165,000 Lamborghini in 2018Credit: Instagram / @jakepaul
      The motor in brilliant blue stands out among his carsCredit: Instagram / @jakepaul
      TESLA MODEL X, £80,000
      In Los Angeles, electric vehicles are all the rage amongst Angelinos.
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      And the wealthier ones are now swapping their Toyota Prius for a much-more stylish Tesla Model X.
      Paul, said to be worth £26million, got his custom-wrapped by West Coast Customs Design – who famously looked after a host of celebs on MTV’s Pimp My Ride.
      The one-of-a-kind car also has carbon accents and sandblasted details, meaning it stands out from the crowd.
      The Tesla Model X owned by Paul, worth £80,000, was custom-wrapped by West Coast Customs DesignCredit: Instagram / @jakes.garage
      Here’s how Paul’s wrap looked before it was custom-wrappedCredit: Instagram / @jakes.garage
      ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM, £360,000
      It’s not all fast or eco-friendly cars for Jake.
      The internet personality has also been seen showing off a classic Rolls-Royce Phantom in white.
      It was a make he was first seen driving back in 2018 alongside brother Logan, when the pair appeared at a celeb bash in a gold Ghost model.
      Smitten by the luxury of it, Jake added a £360,000 Phantom to his collection. And why not.
      Paul first became acquainted with the Rolls-Royce brand in 2018Credit: Instagram / @jakepaul
      A few years later Paul was seen with his own £360,000 Rolls Royce PhantomCredit: Instagram / @jakepaul
      TOYOTA TACOMA, £40,000
      Nothing beats going off-road.
      That’s why Paul also has a sturdy SUV in his Toyota Tacoma in white that would’ve cost him around £40,000.
      A standard Tacoma boasts a 2.7-liter I-4 engine producing 159 HP and 180 lb-ft of torque.
      Judging by his Instagram, it’s Paul’s go-to motor when he wants to have some fun.
      Paul loves to go off-road and has a Toyota Tacoma in his garageCredit: Instagram / @jakes.garage
      FORD FOCUS RS, FROM £22,000
      After he scored success with West Coast Customs Design with his Model X, Jake returned with his cherished Ford Focus RS.
      Originally, he had it wrapped in black. But he wanted a change – and what he got was something completely different.
      It really is a showstopper and even has his name inscribed on the Continental tyres that were fitted new.
      Because of its colours, he nicknames the car ‘Rainbro’.
      One of Paul’s most cherished cars is his £22,000 Ford Focus RSCredit: YouTube
      West Coast Customs design gave the Focus a complete makeover and he has now nicknamed the motor ‘Rainbro’Credit: YouTube
      DODGE RAM FROM £40,000
      Continuing his love of trucks, Paul has also been spied behind the wheel of a Dodge Ram 1500.
      The all-American SUV is reasonably priced with a starting price of just £40,000 – and the boxing star made sure he got the Black Ops model, inspired by the American Armed Services.
      Read More on The Sun
      A powerful vehicle, latest models have a 3.6L V6 engine producing 305bhp.
      Maybe after dominating the boxing world, Paul wants to join the army?
      Favoured by the American Army Services and Jake Paul, the Dodge Ram is another favourite truck of the social media influencerCredit: Instagram / @jakes.garage
      Paul has reportedly amassed a fortune of around £14millionCredit: Instagram / @jakepaul More

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      Seven players who quit Man City and became world class including Kasper Schmeichel, Jadon Sancho and Adrien Rabiot

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      JUST five years ago, Jadon Sancho was a relative unknown quitting Manchester City’s academy to try his luck at Borussia Dortmund.Getting £7million for the young Englishman, then just 17, appeared good business.
      Jadon Sancho was allowed to leave Man City for just £7m in 2017Credit: Getty – Contributor
      Sancho went on to become one of the most-feared wingers in the worldCredit: AP:Associated Press
      Sancho is earning big bux at UnitedCredit: Getty
      But with hindsight being 20/20, it may be one of the biggest transfer blunders ever – up there with Chelsea getting rid of Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah.
      Fast forward to 2022 and England international Sancho joined City’s local rivals United after the club agreed a £73million deal plus add-ons.
      The now-22-year-old star isn’t the only player City let slip through their fingers… we take a look at seven of the biggest names, starting with that man.
      JADON SANCHO
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      SANCHO quit the Etihad in 2017 for just £7m – with no senior appearances under his belt.
      At the time, very little was known of him – despite being part of England’s Under-17 World Cup-winning squad that year.
      Sancho quickly broke into the Dortmund first-team and has never looked back.
      In all, the winger was involved in 89 goals in just 104 Bundesliga games, breaking into the England squad in the process and bagging a spot in the Euro 2020 group where he unfortunately missed a penalty in the final shoot-out.
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      He joined United last summer in a £350,000-a-week deal and despite a slow start to life back in England, he is finally beginning to show his class on a regular basis.
      Sancho is thriving under new boss Erik ten Hag, turning out on the left-hand side.
      KASPER SCHMEICHEL
      Schmeichel was allowed to slip through City’s fingers early in his careerCredit: EPA
      SCHMEICHEL made ten first-team appearances for City early on in his career, despite being loaned out five times.
      Following temporary deals at Darlington, Bury, Falkirk, Cardiff and Coventry, the Dane joined Notts County permanently in 2009.
      The goalkeeper then worked his way up the Football League to join Leicester via Leeds.
      Schmeichel was an integral member of the ‘Fearless Foxes’ squad who shocked the world to win the 2015-16 Premier League title just a year after surviving relegation with their ‘Great Escape’.
      Now Schmeichel – much like his dad, Peter, before him – is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers on the planet and played a starring role in Leicester’s FA Cup triumph in 2021.
      He now plays in France at Nice.
      ADRIEN RABIOT
      Rabiot quit Man City’s academy to join PSG – where he won 16 trophies – in 2008Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      THE Frenchman was all-too briefly part of City’s youth squad in 2008.
      But he was allowed to slip through the club’s fingers and join Paris Saint-Germain.
      There, Rabiot won 16 trophies, including four Ligue 1 titles – before moving to Juventus in 2019.
      Rabiot won the Serie A title in his debut season and enjoyed a return to top form under Andrea Pirlo after stagnating a touch under Maurizio Sarri.
      Man City were linked with signing Rabiot on a free in the 2018-19 season – only for the France star to opt for Juve instead.
      Rabiot could’ve pulled a Sancho and joined rivals United in the summer but stayed with the Old Lady.
      KIERAN TRIPPIER
      Trippier joined Man City’s youth ranks at the age of nineCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      TRIPPIER joined City’s youth ranks in 1999, aged just nine – but played just ONCE for the senior team, in a friendly against Barcelona.
      The right-back was loaned out to Barnsley for two years, before joining Burnley permanently.
      After one impressive season – where he quickly became renowned as one of the league’s best crossers – he joined Tottenham.
      Trippier snapped up a starting spot in the team, leading to Kyle Walker joining Man City, with his career on the up until 2018.
      The right-back was one of the star’s of the 2018 World Cup, leading England to the semi-final – where he scored a stunning free-kick to give fans hope of reaching the final.
      Trippier created more chances than any other player at the tournament in Russia, but quit Spurs a year later after a tough season to join Atletico Madrid.
      After helping England reach the Euro 2020 final and Atletico win the LaLiga title last term, he moved back to Blighty to sign for Newcastle in the January transfer window.
      He was named captain by Eddie Howe and scored crucial free-kicks in wins against Everton and Aston Villa, but suffered a foot injury.
      Trippier continues to star for Newcastle, who are currently sat inside the top four.
      DANIEL STURRIDGE
      Sturridge enjoyed the best years of his career away from Man CityCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      STURRIDGE kicked-off his career at City – scoring six times in 32 games.
      Often deployed on the right-wing, the 32-year-old left in search of a central role – joining Chelsea in 2009.
      Sturridge underwhelmed at Chelsea, but did help the Blues win the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup (twice) before being sold to Liverpool in 2013.
      In his debut season at the Reds, starring alongside Luis Suarez, Sturridge helped fire Liverpool launch an unlikely title bid only to fall just short – after Steven Gerrard’s infamous slip – before being sold in 2019.
      He was let go in March 2020 by Turkish side Trabzonspor before finding himself a club in Australian top-flight outfit Perth Glory.
      Sturridge left the Aussie club in 2022.
      JASON DENAYER
      Denayer was never given a chance by Guardiola and has gone on to shine for Lyon and BelgiumCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      DENAYER was snapped up by big-spending City in 2013 after impressing as a youngster in his native Belgium.
      But he never got a look-in in the first-team and was loaned to Celtic, Galatasaray and Sunderland – winning league titles in Scotland and Turkey – before being sold to Lyon in 2018.
      Since heading to France, Denayer has been a first-team regular for both club and country, helping guide Belgium to the No1 spot in the world rankings.
      Denayer, still only 26, now has 33 caps for his country having missed out on the 2018 World Cup squad as his career stalled at the Etihad.
      But Denayer had his revenge, helping Lyon thump Man City in the Champions League quarter-finals back in 2020.
      He is now a free agent.
      BRAHIM DIAZ
      Brahim Diaz is likely to become a world superstar as he progressesCredit: AFP or licensors
      PERHAPS not world class yet, Diaz is showing all the signs of being a superstar in the making.
      Diaz played 15 times for City – with just five of those coming in the Premier League.
      The forward was sold to Real Madrid in 2018, where he played 21 times scoring twice.
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      Diaz was loaned to AC Milan for the 2020-21 – where he scored seven times in 39 matches, with his stay at the San Siro extended until 2023.
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      This Champions League winner looks unrecognisable after he came out of retirement to join new club

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      THIS former Champions League winner looks unrecognisable after coming out of retirement to play in his native country of Ghana. The 38-year-old is better known for his trophy-laden spell at Inter Milan.
      The Champions League winner plays for Hearts of Oak in GhanaCredit: TWITTER: SADDICK ADAMS
      He won eight major titles with Inter between 2008 and 2012.
      That includes two Serie A titles and a Champions League.
      The 84-cap former Ghana international retired from professional football in 2019.
      That was after an unsuccessful spell with Albacete.
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      But after three years out, new-look Sulley Muntari signed for Ghana Premier League champions Hearts of Oak back in February.
      Muntari will see out the remainder of the season with the local team and has appeared 11 times so far.
      And he has ditched his usual short hair for a longer look with a beard.
      The former Portsmouth ace and FA Cup winner isn’t the only high profile former Ghanaian to return to his native country to play.
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      Asamoah Gyan – who has 109caps and 51 international goals – played for Legon Cities FC.
      Muntari’s younger brother Sulley Muniru is also a professional footballer.
      The 29-year-old has been playing for FK Minsk in Belarus.
      Muntari’s best spells came at both Inter and AC MilanCredit: GETTY IMAGES More