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      Ashley Cole hails Romelu Lukaku’s development and reveals ‘nobody respected’ Belgium striker at Chelsea

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      CHELSEA legend Ashley Cole has praised Belgium forward Romelu Lukaku’s development in the last decade.The 27-year-old has gone from being a promising reserve at Stamford Bridge to one of the world’s best strikers at Inter Milan.
      Romelu Lukaku failed to break into Chelsea’s first team during a three-year spell at Stamford BridgeCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Ashley Cole was one of the Blues’ leaders when the Belgian striker played for the clubCredit: Reuters
      Cole, 40, played with Lukaku at Chelsea during the 2011-12 season, although the forward managed just eight Premier League appearances that term.
      Speaking to ITV Sport about why Lukaku failed to succeed at Chelsea, Cole said: “He joined as a kid; he joined as a 17-year-old.
      “[He was] a raw talent, his game understanding was not great.
      “Didier Drogba was his kind of father figure who used to help him in terms of developing his technique and understanding of movement.
      “And then I think the two loans [to West Brom and Everton] really gave him that self belief that he was good enough. Yes, he was still young but he still had a point to prove.
      “I think no one kind of respected him at Chelsea, in terms of the fans.
      “When he did play, was he going to be the top striker for Chelsea? He had Didier Drogba in front of him.
      “For him to go on loan and prove to himself, he definitely came back with that self-belief, that courage, and now his performances have been second to none, he’s been quality.

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      The Belgium international recently branded his spell at the Blues a ‘failure’ amid speculation of him returning to the European champions.
      He then spent two years on loan at West Brom and Everton, where he scored a combined 32 Prem goals.
      Chelsea allowed Lukaku to join the Toffees for a reported £28million in 2014 having paid Belgian side Anderlecht just £10m three years earlier.

      It seemed like a decent bit of business at the time, yet the Blues were made to regret their decision when the striker scored 71 goals in all competitions for Everton during the next three seasons.
      After a difficult two-year spell at Manchester United, he joined current side Inter in 2019 and inspired them to the Serie A title last term, scoring 24 league goals.
      And Lukaku has made an excellent start to the Euros, scoring twice in Belgium’s 3-0 win against Russia in their opening game.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Romelu Lukaku dedicates goal to Inter Milan team-mate Christian Eriksen as he scores for Belgium against Russia More

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      Chelsea confirm Fikayo Tomori permanent transfer exit for £25m to AC Milan after his impressive loan spell

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      FIKAYO TOMORI has joined AC Milan on a permanent transfer after the Italian side enacted a clause to sign the centre-back.Chelsea loaned the defender to the San Siro giants in January and he impressed in the club’s run to second place in Serie A.
      Fikayo Tomori hailed his move to AC Milan with this Instagram post

      In 22 appearances, Tomori won over many fans, some of whom called for Gareth Southgate to include him in England’s Euro 2020 squad.
      The loan deal contained a £25million option to permanently sign the player, which was taken up by Milan.
      Tomori signs on a four-year contract in a move confirmed on Thursday.
      Coming through the Chelsea ranks, he won the FA Youth Cup on two occasions before a debut in 2016.
      Loan spells at Brighton, Hull and Derby followed and then-Rams boss Frank Lampard handed him a year in the Blues first-team after taking over in West London.
      But Tomori play just 45 minutes in the league last season amid the arrival of Thiago Silva, and was allowed to leave midway through the campaign.
      A statement from the Premier League club read: “Chelsea is grateful to Fikayo for his contributions at the club, from youth level to men’s first-team squad, and wishes him the very best in his future career.”
      It had been suggested that Milan wanted to negotiate down the pre-agreed fee with Chelsea.
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      The defender thanked Chelsea after over a decade on the club’s books

      But the Rossoneri have shown how highly they value the 23-year-old, who ousted club captain Alessio Romagnoli from his spot in the defence.
      The fee makes Tomori the second most expensive purchase for the club since Elliott Management Corporation took over in 2018.
      According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan plan on going back to Chelsea and accelerating their bid for Olivier Giroud now the Tomori deal is done.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

      Fikayo Tomori’s impossible angle goal in Chelsea training session More

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      Watch surprised Cristiano Ronaldo get ID’d by Euro 2020 security guard as Portugal superstar forgets to flash his pass

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      NOT even Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo could get past Euros security guard without showing his ID. Ronaldo cut a surprised look as an official gestured to have the Juventus forward show his pass.
      Not even Cristiano Ronaldo could get past Euros security guard without showing his ID
      A quick glance saw the 36-year-old carry on down the tunnel before Portugal played Hungary in their opening game.
      The reigning champions left it late as they kicked off their campaign with a 3-0 win.
      Raphael Guerreiro opened the scoring on 84 minutes before Ronaldo’s double put the result beyond doubt.
      The former Manchester United and Real Madrid man made headlines before the game after he removed Coca-Cola bottles at a press conference table.
      He instead shouted ‘drink water’ in a move which saw the soft drink company lose $4BILLION in value.
      On the pitch, Ronaldo celebrated becoming the European Championships all-time top scorer with 11 goals.
      Gary Neville, who spent six years with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner at Old Trafford, led the tributes.
      He said on ITV: “It’s an obscene record. I mean, 106 goals for his country is absolutely ridiculous.
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      “He just continues to beat individual record after individual record.
      “I said before the game, when players give interviews quite often they refer to the team.
      “He does refer to the team always, but he also wants to be the best player in the world and seen as one of the greatest of all time in terms of scoring more goals than anyone. And he’ll go and do it.”
      Paul Pogba mirrors Cristiano Ronaldo’s Coca-Cola snub and removes Heineken bottle from Euro 2020 press conference More

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      Cristiano Ronaldo’s mum reveals son will play for three more years but refuses to say where amid Man Utd transfer links

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO’S mum revealed her son will play for another three years – as his club future remains up in the air. The Juventus forward is still one of the most lethal finishers in the game and has previously revealed a desire to play into his 40s.
      Cristiano Ronaldo’s mum revealed her son will play for another three years
      Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus future remains up in the airCredit: AP
      Ronaldo, known for his strict diet and fitness regime, kickstarted his Euros campaign with two goals in Portugal’s opening match 3-0 win over Hungary.
      Cheering him on was his mother Maria Dolores, who predicted her boy will be playing at least until he is 39.
      She told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport: “Cristiano is in good shape, he will play three more years.”
      Ronaldo has one year left on his current Juve contract and finished the season with 36 goals in 44 appearances.
      But it was a disastrous campaign for the Italian giants, who for the first time in TEN YEARS failed to win the Serie A title.
      Rookie manager Andrea Pirlo, who has since been replaced by the returning Max Allegri, even gave Ronaldo a spell on the bench.
      It left the former Real Madrid and Manchester United winger contemplating his next step.
      According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, a return to their United or boyhood club Sporting are among his options.

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      And PSG are monitoring his future, with a move expected should Kylian Mbappe, 22, leave for Real Madrid.
      Earlier in the year, Juve looked poised to extend Ronaldo’s contract by a year, but no talks have materialised.
      United are also keeping tabs on their former player, and would be willing to include Paul Pogba, 28, as part of the deal, Gazzetta say.
      But Ronaldo is said to earn near £540,000-a-week, which could cause a stumbling block in any move.
      United are closing in on a deal worth around £80million for Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho, 21, which could be a priority signing.
      Cristiano Ronaldo ‘has £17m-a-year offer from Man Utd with Paul Pogba returning to Juventus as part of transfer swap’ More

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      Fikayo Tomori ‘joins AC Milan after they trigger £24m Chelsea transfer clause’ after successful loan season

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      FIKAYO TOMORI has joined AC Milan permanently after they triggered his £24million transfer clause following a successful loan spell. Tomori joined the Italians in January as he looked for more regular football having been frozen out by Chelsea.
      Fikayo Tomori has joined AC Milan permanently after they triggered his £24m transfer clauseCredit: Reuters
      Fikayo Tomori initially left Chelsea on loan to get more first-team footballCredit: Rex
      And the centre-back impressed heavily in his five months in Milan, where he made 22 appearances, even scoring a goal.
      His form convinced manager Stefano Pioli to make a move to sign Tomori on a permanent deal.
      And Pioli had the backing to do so from legendary defender Paulo Maldini, the club’s current technical director.
      According to Fabrizio Romano, Tomori will join on a five-year deal after his transfer clause was triggered.
      Maldini has been a big part in the 23-year-old’s development in Serie A and spoke to him before and after every match.
      Tomori told The Times in March: “You feel [Maldini’s] presence.
      “As much as I’m playing for myself and for the team and the manager, I want to impress him.
      “It’s like if you were an attacker and one day Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi was your sporting director and saying these words for you. It’s crazy.
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      “Before every game, he talks and says come on and says well done after. If I haven’t played well he’s still there saying well done.”
      Tomori made 22 appearances in Frank Lampard’s first season at Chelsea after returning to the club as manager in 2019.
      But a year later, Lampard signed Brazilian veteran Thiago Silva, 36, on a free transfer from PSG.
      It saw Tomori fall further down the defensive pecking order and following just four appearances last term, he moved to Milan.
      During that time, Lampard was replaced by German Thomas Tuchel, who reverted to a back three and later won the Champions League.
      But it appears Tuchel had no plans to bring Tomori back, allowing Milan to make a move for their man.
      Mason Mount reveals he was left stunned after hero Luka Modric asked Chelsea star for his shirt in Champions League More

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      Arsenal reject £13m Granit Xhaka transfer offer from Roma as ace leads Switzerland at Euro 2020

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      ARSENAL have rejected a bid from Roma for midfielder Granit Xhaka, according to reports.Roma boss Jose Mourinho is believed to have been keen on the Switzerland international since arriving in Italy.
      Arsenal have reportedly knocked back Roma’s first offer for Granit Xhaka
      Roma boss Jose Mourinho is believed to be keen on signing Xhaka
      And now the Serie A club have acted on their interest by bidding £13million for Xhaka, report the BBC.
      But the offer has fallen short of Arsenal’s evaluation of the 28-year-old, who is contracted until 2023.
      Xhaka was signed for £35m in 2016 so the Gunners are unwilling to sell for such a low amount.
      Now Roma will decide whether to increase their bid or turn their attention to Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz, another player linked with a move to the Stadio Olimpico.
      The Gunners are set for a big summer of change with Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock also attracting transfer interest.
      David Luiz has already departed along with eight other players, so Mikel Arteta has some recruitment work to do.
      Yves Bissouma and Ruben Neves are two midfielders linked with a move to North London and could replace Xhaka if he does leave this summer.

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      Xhaka has had a mixed career at the Emirates but has been a regular over the last five years, making 220 appearances in total.
      He was made Arsenal captain by Unai Emery in 2019 but a high profile bust-up with the fans saw him lose that honour.
      Xhaka will currently be focused on getting Switzerland through the Euro 2020 group stage, so may not be weighing up his club future just yet.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Moment Arsenal star Granit Xhaka shows drastic new blonde hair to wife Leonita leaving her stunned More

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      Denmark’s hero captain Simon Kjaer could be promoted to AC Milan skipper after giving Christian Eriksen CPR

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      AC MILAN are considering making Denmark hero Simon Kjaer their captain, according to reports.The Dane stopped Christian Eriksen from swallowing his tongue before performing CPR on his stricken team-mate on Saturday.
      Denmark hero Simon Kjaer could soon be made AC Milan skipper tooCredit: Reuters
      The Dane has been widely praised for his heroic actions after Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest on SaturdayCredit: The Sun
      And the Italian giants are thinking about making him their permanent skipper as a result, according to Sportsmediaset.
      Milan legend – and the club’s technical director – Paolo Maldini is said to support the move.
      And Kjaer also has the fans’ backing with some supporters even starting a social media campaign to get him the armband, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
      Eriksen, 29, collapsed during Denmark’s Euro 2020 opener against Finland and the team doctor said he ‘was gone’ before they started cardiac resuscitation.
      He needed 13 minutes of intense medical treatment – including CPR and defibrillator shocks – but was thankfully stretchered off the pitch awake soon after.
      It was confirmed on Sunday the former Tottenham man had suffered a cardiac arrest but was stable.
      And he sent a brief message to the public on Monday.
      Denmark captain Kjaer has been widely hailed for his decisive action just moments after Eriksen collapsed.
      Eriksen collapsed during Denmark’s Euro 2020 opener against Finland
      Eriksen was revived and stretchered off the pitch awake

      The 32-year-old defender dashed from his position and pushed aside other players to immediately place Eriksen into the recovery position, clearly unconscious.
      Kjaer realised what was going on and worked to stop the 29-year-old from swallowing his tongue and then took the life-saving decision to start performing CPR on his stricken friend.
      And the 108-cap international’s inspiring actions could see him promoted at the San Siro.
      Current club captain Alessio Romagnoli rarely starts these days and could reportedly leave in the summer.
      And vice-captain Gianluigi Donnarumma is said to have agreed a £200,000-a-week deal with Paris Saint-Germain after deciding to leave Milan this summer at the end of his contract.
      Kjaer has been at Milan since September when he joined from Sevilla for around £3.2million. He played 39 times in all competitions last season and scored once.
      Christian Eriksen’s life was saved by the fast reactions of team-mates and medics after Kjaer intervened
      Eriksen’s worried team-mates look on as he receives treatment on Saturday night
      On Monday, Denmark keeper Kasper Schmeichel said it was ‘damn nice’ to see Eriksen laughing and smiling when he visited the playmaker in hospital with Kjaer.
      And the Leicester keeper also revealed his admiration for his national team captain.
      He said: “I am incredibly proud to have him as captain.
      “It does not surprise me that he did as he did. He has an incredibly sensitive and human side of him.
      “Simon and Christian spend a lot of time together in Milan as they live close to each other.
      “We did not make any decisions. We did, as we did. I think it’s a very natural thing. Simon… I do not know what to say. He is an exceptional person.”
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      Fabrice Muamba says he thought ‘Please, this is not going to happen again!’ as Christian Eriksen collapsed on pitch More

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      Aaron Ramsey aims dig at Juventus and says Wales ‘understand’ him after torrid spell in Serie A

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      AARON RAMSEY has revealed his time at Juventus has been ‘very difficult and frustrating’ as his club future was plunged into more doubt.The 30-year-old former Arsenal man is currently playing for Wales at the European Championships, a welcome break from what has been a turbulent time in Italy.
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      Ramsey is laser-focused on performing for his country at this summer’s EurosCredit: EPA
      Ramsey has struggled for game time since arriving in ItalyCredit: Getty
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      And in a recent interview Ramsey spoke about the difficulties he has faced during his two-year spell at Juventus.
      Speaking to La Repubblica, he said: “The last two seasons at Juve have been very difficult, frustrating, not only from a physical point of view.
      “There have been factors and changes that I was not used to.
      “In the national team, on the other hand, I am happy to have a team that follows me step by step. 
      “They understand me, they know what I need and also what my body needs.
      “Unfortunately sometimes the teams always continue to work in a certain way, too.
      “When a player would need more attention… at least now I have the right people around me and then I’ll do everything to get back to a place where I can feel good again, and have confidence.”
      Ramsey, who has two more years on his deal, has featured 65 times over two seasons at Juve but has only managed to score six goals and assist another six.

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      He recently suffered four months on the sidelines due to injury and upon his return was then left out of the squad for the Serie A run-in by manager Andrea Pirlo.
      Since signing for Juve on a free transfer in 2019, Ramsey has been one of the club’s highest earners with a contract worth £400,000 per week.
      He has been linked with a move back to Arsenal this summer.
      Earlier this week, it was reported that the Gunners were planning to swoop in and offer the Italian giants a swap deal with full-back Hector Bellerin going the other way.
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      Wales legend Ashley Williams tells all about the Euro2016 squad More