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      Portugal 2 Ireland 1 LIVE REACTION: Cristiano Ronaldo BREAKS scoring record in last-gasp victory over Irish – updates

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO finally broke the international scoring record against Ireland in their World Cup qualifier tonight – scoring twice in the last five minutes in a 2-1 win.
      RESULT: Portugal 2-1 Ireland
      Portugal XI: Patricio, Cancelo, Pepe, Dias, Guerreiro, Palhinha, Fernandes, B Silva, R Silva, Jota, Ronaldo
      Ireland XI: Bazunu, Coleman, Duffy, Egan, Cullen, Doherty, Idah, Hendrick, McGrath, O’Shea, Connolly

      Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…

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      Ronaldo won the Golden Boot at Euro 2020Credit: AFP
      THAT’S ALL FROM PORTUGAL
      Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo made history by saving his country’s blushes and single-handedly leading them to a late as well as dramatic 2-1 win against a very game Republic of Ireland.
      Ronaldo became record goalscorer in men’s international football after scoring his 110th – and then 111th – goal for his nation.
      The five-time Ballon d’Or winner almost reached that landmark just 10 minutes after kick-off from the penalty spot but was denied by Ireland’s impressive goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, who successfully lunged to his bottom right corner.
      That is when things started to go downhill for the hosts as Stephen Kenny’s men stunned them on 45 minutes when John Egan picked up a crisp corner-kick from the left by Jamie McGrath and headed in his first ever international goal.
      Just when it all looked doomed, Ronaldo took matters into his own hands and equalised on 89 minutes after heading in a Goncalo Guedes cross from the right.
      The Manchester United signing wasn’t done there as he turned things around on the sixth minute of stoppage time with yet another header following a cross by Joao Mario from the right.
      That’s all from us here at SunSport, have a great night!
      GETTY IMAGES
      NEW RECORD
      Manchester United signing Cristiano Ronaldo beat Iran legend Ali Daei’s record and is now record goalscorer in men’s international football.
      Ronaldo got a brace against the Republic of Ireland and now counts 111 goals in 180 caps for Portugal.
      That means the five-time Ballon d’Or winner now has two more goals than Daei.
      The star forward, however, won’t get to extend his record on Tuesday when the Portuguese national team travels to Azerbaijan as he is suspended with yet another yellow card for removing his shirt during his goal celebrations.

      RONALDO REACTS
      Portugal captain and Manchester United signing Cristiano Ronaldo is over the moon after his record goals.
      Ronaldo told RTE: “I’m so happy.
      “Not only because I beat the record but because of the special moments that we had.
      “Two goals in the end of the game, so tough but I have to appreciate what the team did, playing until the end. And the supporters… I’m so glad.
      “It’s [penalty miss] part of the business. It’s part of the business. Sometimes you score, sometimes you make a mistake.
      “But I still believed until the end of the game. But I’m so glad to score and to win the game”
      GETTY IMAGES
      RON THE MARK
      And here is how Cristiano Ronaldo single-handedly won the match for Portugal.
      Ronaldo beat Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu with yet another header.
      The five-time Ballon d’Or winner surpassed Ali Daei’s record by scoring his 110th goal in 180 caps a few minutes earlier.
      Now the Manchester United signing counts two more goals than Daei

      RECORD BREAKER
      Cristiano Ronaldo made history out of nowhere at the Estadio Algarve.
      Portugal captain Ronaldo became the all-time top goalscorer in men’s international football.
      The Manchester United signing equalised against the Republic of Ireland with a stunning header on 89 minutes.
      Check it out:

      UPDATED TABLE
      Portugal are now top of Group A with three points ahead of Serbia, who have one match less.
      Fernando Santos’ men are still undefeated in the World Cup qualifiers with three wins in four matches.
      Republic of Ireland, on the other hand, are still second from last with zero points having lost all of their first three matches.
      More below:

      STATS
      Portugal dominated 72.1 per cent of possession throughout the World Cup qualifier.
      The hosts also registered a total of 29 shots, seven of which were on target.
      Republic of Ireland, on the other hand, only produced six shots, two of which were on target.
      Ireland totally dominated in the air as they won 77.3 per cent of aerial duels
      FT: PORTUGAL 2-1 IRELAND
      Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo made history by saving his country’s blushes and single-handedly turning the match around against a very game Republic of Ireland.
      Ronaldo became record goalscorer in men’s international football after scoring his 110th goal for his nation.
      The five-time Ballon d’Or winner almost reached that accolade just 10 minutes after kick-off from the penalty spot but was denied by Ireland’s impressive goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, who successfully lunged to his bottom right corner.
      That is when things started to go downhill for the hosts as Stephen Kenny’s men stunned them on 45 minutes when John Egan picked up a wonderful corner-kick from the left by Jamie McGrath and headed in his first ever international goal.
      When it all looked like Fernando Santos’ men would experience a shocking upset Ronaldo took matters into his own hands and equalised on 89 minutes after heading in a Goncalo Guedes cross from the right.
      The Manchester United signing wasn’t down there as he turned things around on the sixth minute of stoppage time with another header following a cross by Joao Mario from the right
      GETTY IMAGES
      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
      THAT’S FULL-TIME IN PORTUGAL!!!!!
      PORTUGAL 2-1 IRELAND
      90+6 YELLOW CARD
      Ronaldo gets booked after his goal for taking his shirt off and is thus suspended from the next game against Azerbaijan!
      PORTUGAL 2-1 IRELAND
      90+6 Unbelievable! How does he do it?!
      Ronaldo has won it for Portugal single-handedly!
      In the last kick of the game the Manchester United picks up a cross from Mario down the left flank and beats Bazunu with another incredible header!

      GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!
      PORTUGAL WIN THIS WITH RONALDO!!!!!!
      PORTUGAL 1-1 IRELAND
      90+5 CHANCE!
      Mario tries a long-range shot but is denied by Bazunu as the ball goes straight into his arms!
      PORTUGAL 1-1 IRELAND
      90+3 Ronaldo has made history as the all-time top goalscorer in men’s international football.
      The Portugal captain has netted 110 goals in 180 caps for his country
      GETTY IMAGES
      PORTUGAL 1-1 IRELAND
      90+2 Ireland manager Kenny replaces McGrath with Molumby.
      Portugal are now pushing for a second!
      PORTUGAL 1-1 IRELAND
      90 Five more minutes of added time to go.
      Ireland came close to a second earlier on but McClean’s beautiful shot was denied by Patricio
      PORTUGAL 1-1 IRELAND
      89 He did it! They did it!
      Guedes sends in a cross from the right that is met by a stunning Ronaldo header that finally beats Bazunu.
      The Portugal captain has made history as the top scorer in the history of international football.
      Not a bad way to come back to Manchester United…
      Impossível? Para ele, nunca. 👽 Capitão, 𝙏𝙀𝙈𝙊𝙎 𝙍𝙀𝘾𝙊𝙍𝘿𝙀! #VamosComTudo✨ @Cristiano Ronaldo ✨🌍 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥’𝘴 𝘛𝘰𝘱 𝘚𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭 🌍Impossible? Not for him. 👽 Captain, 𝙒𝙀 𝙃𝘼𝙑𝙀 𝘼 𝙍𝙀𝘾𝙊𝙍𝘿! #TeamPortugal pic.twitter.com/Qc8Hbd2Pki— Portugal (@selecaoportugal) September 1, 2021

      GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!
      PORTUGAL EQUALISE WITH RONALDO!!!!!!!!
      PORTUGAL 0-1 IRELAND
      89 CHANCE!
      Portugal captain Ronaldo delivers a stunning free-kick but is denied by Bazunu!
      PORTUGAL 0-1 IRELAND
      87 WHAT A CHANCE!
      Portugal come extremely close to an equaliser!
      Guedes passes to Mario from the right and the latter’s shot is blocked by Omobamidele.
      A ball comes back in and finds Ronaldo who is right in front of Bazunu but the Manchester United signing is caught offside.

      PORTUGAL 0-1 IRELAND
      85 Five minutes to go and Portugal are applying unbelievable pressure on Ireland.
      But the visitors are still holding!
      PORTUGAL 0-1 IRELAND
      83 SUBSTITUTION
      Portugal manager Santos replaces Cancelo with Guedes.
      Expect Kenny to make some late changes to slow down the clock and tempo
      PORTUGAL 0-1 IRELAND
      82 CHANCE!
      Portugal almost scored a worldie with Andre Silva, who tries an overhead kick inside the area.
      But the ball goes way over Bazunu’s crossbar.
      That was probably a sign that Portugal are running out of ideas…
      PORTUGAL 0-1 IRELAND
      80 Ireland’s pace has seriously slowed down after losing Connolly.
      The visitors are now trying to hold on to their lead with everything they got
      PORTUGAL 0-1 IRELAND
      77 Portugal are desperately looking for that equaliser that will put them back in the game.
      But with all their missed chances, it looks very unlikely that the hosts can turn this around even if they do equalise
      Load more entries… More

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      in Soccer

      Saul Niguez to Chelsea loan CONFIRMED, Griezmann rejoins Atletico, De Jong completes Barcelona transfer, Mbappe STAYS

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      DEADLINE DAY did not disappoint as clubs scrambled to get last minute deals over the line.In one of the signings of the summer, Saul Niguez is heading to Chelsea on loan after the Blues swooped for their man late in the evening.
      But Atleti fans were appeased by the arrival of former favourite Antoine Griezmann, who joins from Barcelona with an obligation to buy.
      Luuk De Jong was his replacement at the Nou Camp, while PSG sensationally turned down a mammoth bid from Real Madrid for Kylian Mbappe.
      Tottenham were busy, bringing in Emerson Royal while Odsonne Edouard is a Premier League player after completing his move from Celtic to Crystal Palace.
      Follow all of the latest transfer updates and Deadline Day reaction below…

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      SLOWEST SUMMER SPENDING SINCE 2015
      According to analysis by the Deloitte Sports Business Group, this summer represented the lowest gross spending between season window since 2015.
      The analysis suggests top-flight clubs spent a combined £1.1billion before 11pm last night, 11% less than last summer’s window.
      And Deloitte report that the gross spending is down 20% on 2019, largely due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
      Despite that the number of players signed by Premier League clubs actually increased.
      Last summer 132 signings were made, while 148 new deals were announced before yesterday’s deadline.
      HORNETS GIVE COTTAGERS BETTING STING
      Deadline-day signings from Watford, Domingos Quina and Nathaniel Chalobah, have helped make Fulham clear bookies’ favourites to win the Championship.
      The relegated Cottagers are 13/10 with Ladbrokes after manager Marco Silva’s double swoop on his former club, with West Brom tipped second at 9/4.
      ‘£500m HAALAND DEAL’ SCARED OFF PREM CLUBS
      Chelsea and Manchester City were scared off long-term Old Trafford target Erling Haaland in August by a staggering £500million bill over the next five years, reports say.
      The Borussia Dortmund goal machine’s sky-high package of transfer fee and wages mean interest in the 21-year-old could even be delayed for TWO transfer windows – until NEXT summer.
      Credit: Reuters

      RON: REJOINING UTD IS MY BEST DECISION
      Cristiano Ronaldo says he is back at Manchester United to win trophies rather than for sentimental reasons.
      But the Portugal superstar, whose 2003-6 Old Trafford spell was legendary, added: “I think it’s the best decision that I have made.
      “I’m so happy and glad, and I want to carry on again, to make history, to try to help Manchester achieve great results, to win trophies and number one of them, to win great things.”
      Credit: Alamy
      I’LL NAIL THE PREM WITH HAMMERS
      Nikola Vlasic has insisted he does have the ability to succeed in the Premier League at West Ham despite flopping at Everton earlier in his career.
      The attacking midfielder joined the Hammers from CSKA Moscow in a deal which could be worth £33million after David Moyes agreed the biggest deadline day fee in the Premier League.
      Credit: PA
      And the 26-cap Croatia star, 23, claims he is much improved from the teenager who joined Everton in 2017.
      Vlasic said: “I’m a much better player and my mentality is not the same as when I was 19.
      “It’s four years since when I was in the Premier League and I really feel like I need to prove something to myself.
      “It’s not that I didn’t feel I was good enough then, I think I was, it was just a problem with the changing of coaches and everything.
      “The situation now is different. I am coming to a big club and they expect big things from me, and I also expect big things from myself, so I think it will be a really exciting time.”
      NEW BLUE NIGUEZ: IT’S SAUL TO PLAY FOR
      Chelsea’s deadline-day recruit Saul Niguez has tweeted his joy at his season’s loan switch from Atletico Madrid.
      The 19-cap Spain star will provide options alongside N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic if Blues’ boss Thomas Tuchel opts for a ‘double 6′ style of midfield anchors.
      The 26-year-old posted a picture of him preparing to travel into Stamford Bridge with the words: “See you there!”
      Niguez helped Atletico to the LaLiga title last term summer signing Rodrigo de Paul appears to have leapfrogged him in the thinking of boss Diego Simeone.

      NEW BOAT FOR LYON
      Free agent Jerome Boateng has been officially unveiled as a Lyon player on a two-year deal.
      The former Manchester City flop, 32, who has 76 Germany caps, left Bayern Munich this summer after ten glorious years.
      UTD ERLING BID ‘NEXT SUMMER’
      Manchester United WILL try to sign Erling Haaland summer, despite the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo.
      According to ESPN, the Red Devils are set to continue the pursuit of theit top target next summer.
      And when the season does come to an end Haaland will be available for as little as £65million thanks to a release clause in his contract that becomes active.
      Ole Gunnar Solskajer is desperate to bring fellow Norwegian Haaland to Old Trafford, and with the pair having previously worked together at Molde a deal could be on the cards.
      ESPN even report that the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo will help United get the Haaland deal over the line, due to Haaland’s desire to play alongside the footballing great.
      TRAORE BLIMEY
      Tottenham reportedly refused to meet Adama Traore’s £50million asking price after having a bid rejected by Wolves for the winger.
      The ex-Barcelona ace, 25, is believed to have hired agent Jorge Mendes to try and push through a deal to Tottenham before the window slammed shut on Tuesday night.
      But the transfer failed to materialise, with The Athletic insisting Spurs were unwilling to meet his £50m price tag.
      They even state that the 2008 League Cup champions had a £30m bid turned down by the Midlands outfit on Monday.
      Negotiations then hit a brick wall between the two clubs as both parties refused to budge on their valuation of Traore.
      SIQ OF IT
      SunSport’s Goodman also reports that Brentford failed with a deadline-day swoop for Standard Liege right-back Hugo Siquet.
      The Belgium Under-19 international has been a revelation since making his senior club debut last November.
      Bees officials held talks with their Liege counterparts for the 19-year-old, but were unable to reach agreement.
      Siquet joined the Belgian outfit aged seven, and has won 13 national caps from Under-17 level upwards.
      Getty Images
      BRENTFORD BUSINESS
      SunSport’s Steve Goodman reports the Bees’ Danish boss Thomas Frank wanted to raid his home country for FC Copenhagen striker Jonas Wind.
      The Premier League newcomers made an improved £5.6million offer for the Denmark international.
      However the Superliga club refused to release Wind, valuing the nine-cap ace at nearer to £11m.
      The striker has bagged five goals in 11 games so far this season, and played for Denmark at this summer’s Euro 2020 finals.
      Getty Images
      AOUAR ON
      Arsenal and Tottenham could rekindle their interest in Houssem Aouar in January.
      Both North London clubs were linked with a move for the 23-year-old Lyon playmaker over the summer.
      A move failed to ever materialise but according to The Express he could be on his way to London before the season is over.
      With the Frenchman’s contract expiring in the summer of 2023, Lyon may be forced to sanction a move before losing Aouar for a cut-price fee or even on a free transfer.
      And with Aouar open to a new challenge elsewhere, a January move could well be on the cards.
      Getty Images
      IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
      The transfer window never fails to disappoint, does it?
      In a sensational story Eintracht Frankfurt blocked a move for Filip Kostic to sign for Lazio by giving the Italian club the WRONG EMAIL.
      According to Calciomercato, Lazio offered the Bundesliga side £8.5million for Kostic’s services.
      But their offer fell on deaf ears, because Frankfurt bosses gave Lazio the wrong email address.
      It meant Frankurt could show Kostic no official bid had been received.
      But the 28-year-olds agent wasn’t convinced and he told Kostic about the deception.
      Kostic as a result refused to play for Frankfurt, but the move angered bosses so much when an official bid was received to the correct email, they refused it anyway!

      SAUL TAKES TO THE SKIES
      Chelsea new boy Saul Niguez is on his way to London.
      He signed for the Blues late last night on an initial season-long loan deal.
      And now the 26-year-old Spain international has taken to Instagram as he jets off to join up with his new teammates.
      He posted a picture of him outside an airport, before him walking towards the door.
      And he captioned the post: “See you there!! @chelseafc”
      DONE DEAL
      Another done deal to report.
      Free agent Jerome Boateng has been officially unveiled as a Lyon player.
      He’s signed for the club on a two year contract.
      The 32-year-old centre-back joins the Ligue 1 side after a decade at Bayern Munich.
      DONE DEAL
      Chelsea and Lokomotiv Moscow have agreed terms on a deal for Tino Anjorin, according to Fabrizio Romano.
      And The Athletic report the 19–year-old will sign on an initial loan deal with a £17million option to buy in January.
      The Blues have also negotiated a £34million buy-back clause for the teenager.
      With the transfer market still upon in Russia the clubs were free to continue negotiations, and now an agreement has been reached.
      Getty Images
      SEAD’S DEMANDS
      It was reported earlier that Sead Kolasinac was on the brink of a move to Turkish side Fenerbahce, according to football.london.
      But the club’s President Ali Koc claims the move broke down for financial reasons, with Kolasinac’s demands out of reach for Fenerbahce.
      And now those figures have been revealed.
      Koc told Sporx: “[Kolasinac’s camp] contacted us and told us their demands. They asked for a three-year contract, €3million (£2.5m) a year [£50,000-a-week] with a €3million (£2.5) signing-on fee.
      “The issue was brought [to us] before our coach arrived. He wasn’t interested.”
      IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
      According to analysis by the Deloitte Sports Business Group, this summer represented the lowest gross spending between season window since 2015.
      The analysis suggests top-flight clubs spent a combined £1.1billion before 11pm last night, 11% less than last summer’s window.
      And Deloitte report that the gross spending is down 20% on 2019, largely due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
      Despite that the number of players signed by Premier League clubs actually increased.
      Last summer 132 signings were made, while 148 new deals were announced before yesterday’s deadline.
      HAALAND BOOST
      Manchester United have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Erling Haaland.
      Former Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge believes the 22-year-old sensation will leave Germany when he leaves Borussia Dortmund.
      Bayern are notorious for signing Dortmund’s best stars, but when it comes to Haaland Rummenigge doesn’t think the Munich club have a chance.
      He told Sport Bild: “He [Haaland] has become an absolute figurehead in the league.
      “But I’m afraid he won’t be staying in the Bundesliga. The numbers that are circulating show that it’s difficult to keep him in Germany.
      “I assume that his future lies abroad.”
      WINDOW WONDERS
      SunSport reckons this team could certainly challenge for the title if they played together – especially with the devastating attack.
      Ronaldo returned to Manchester United this week and links up with fellow summer arrival Jadon Sancho.
      Between them in attack and leading the line is, of course, ex-Red Devils striker Romelu Lukau.
      Like Ronaldo, the Belgian made a comeback to his first English club this summer as Chelsea broke their transfer record to buy him from Inter Milan for £97.5million.
      Meanwhile, the likes of Kurt Zouma, Martin Odegaard, Emi Buendia, Joe Willock, Dan James, Odsonne Edouard and Patson Daka were among the best signings to make the fantasy bench.
      The total transfer cost of the starting XI, three of whom signed on deadline day, adds up to a whopping £457.5m.

      EYES ON ERLING
      Manchester United WILL try to sign Erling Haaland summer, despite the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo.
      According to ESPN, the Red Devils are set to continue the pursuit of theit top target next summer.
      And when the season does come to an end Haaland will be available for as little as £65million thanks to a release clause in his contract that becomes active.
      Ole Gunnar Solskajer is desperate to bring fellow Norwegian Haaland to Old Trafford, and with the pair having previously worked together at Molde a deal could be on the cards.
      ESPN even report that the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo will help United get the Haaland deal over the line, due to Haaland’s desire to play alongside the footballing great.
      Getty Images
      CRAZY NUMBERS
      Kylian Mbappe turned down the offer of a mouthwatering new deal at PSG, reports suggest
      According to Le Parisien, Mbappe rejected a new contract worth £38MILLION per-year in order to force through a move to Real Madrid.
      If he had accepted the contract offer it would have made him the highest paid player in world football, earning more than his teammate Lionel Messi.
      But instead he will join Real Madrid next summer on a free transfer.
      That’s after the LaLiga side had reportedly handed PSG an ultimatum to accept their initial £145.6million offer, which included £8.6m in add-ons.
      The French club rejected it, but now they are set to lose the 22-year-old next summer for nothing at all.
      Getty Images
      WELCOME TO WALES
      Swansea City are expected to announce the signing of Olivier Ntcham today.
      According to Planet Swans the 25-year-old underwent a medical yesterday and although the deal was not announced before the 11pm deadline, all the necessary paperwork was submitted.
      The Frenchman will join the Championship side after being released by Celtic in the summer.
      Ntcham played 86 times in the league for Celtic, before spending the second half of last season on loan at French side Marseille.
      Getty Images
      RON THE MOVE
      Cristiano Ronaldo has also spoken on his decision to return to Manchester in his first interview since re-signing for United.
      He told manutd.com: “I think it’s the best decision that I have made it. It’s right on point in my opinion.
      “I moved from Juve now to Manchester, it’s a new chapter, I’m so happy and glad, and I want to carry on again, to make history, to try to help Manchester achieve great results, to win trophies and number one of them, to win great things.”
      NORTH LONDON DERBY
      Arsenal made an offer to sign Tottenham new boy Emerson Royal, reports suggest.
      According to Marca, the Gunners offered Barcelona £8.5million plus Hector Bellerin for his services.
      But Barcelona rejected the offer, with the cash-strapped club only willing to deal in cash.
      The Catalan club are already well equipped at right-back with Sergino Dest, so did not feel the need to bring another in.
      So instead they accepted Spurs’ offer that could rise to £26million and the full-back will play on the white side of North London, rather than the red.
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      Tomiyasu transfer CONFIRMED, Lacazette ‘to reject new Arsenal deal’, Bellerin LEAVES, Maitland-Niles stays after talks

      by

      ARSENAL completed some very late business on transfer deadline day with the £20m signing of Takehiro Tomiyasu from Bologna.The Japan international defender put the finishing touches to the deal in the final hour of deadline day.
      While right-back Hector Bellerin has left the club on loan, moving to Real Betis for the rest of the season.
      And Ashley Maitland-Niles – who openly asking for a move via Instagram – will stay with the club after talks with management.
      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
      Get all the latest transfer news, gossip and updates below…
      SLOWEST SUMMER SPENDING SINCE 2015
      According to analysis by the Deloitte Sports Business Group, this summer represented the lowest gross spending between season window since 2015.
      The analysis suggests top-flight clubs spent a combined £1.1billion before 11pm last night, 11% less than last summer’s window.
      And Deloitte report that the gross spending is down 20% on 2019, largely due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
      Despite that the number of players signed by Premier League clubs actually increased.
      Last summer 132 signings were made, while 148 new deals were announced before yesterday’s deadline.
      RON: REJOINING UTD IS MY BEST DECISION
      Cristiano Ronaldo says he is back at Manchester United to win trophies rather than for sentimental reasons.
      But the Portugal superstar, whose 2003-6 Old Trafford spell was legendary, added: “I think it’s the best decision that I have made.
      “I’m so happy and glad, and I want to carry on again, to make history, to try to help Manchester achieve great results, to win trophies and number one of them, to win great things.”
      Credit: Alamy
      SENIOR GUNNERS LACK LEADERSHIP SKILLS
      Gary Neville has questioned the leadership skills of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Granit Xhaka.
      The Manchester United legend told Sky Sports: “There’s no real sort of signings that I look at and think, wow, you know, they really excite me.
      “But what they do have is a group of players that need to come together as quickly as possible and form a team.
      “I think with Arsenal that sometimes it’s not the signings that they bring in; it’s more the actual senior players that you look at and think, well, what are they getting from them?
      “What are they getting from Aubameyang, Lacazette, Xhaka? Those players that you think would hold them together – the goalkeeper.
      “They’ve got to really sort of get themselves right in the next few weeks and create an atmosphere and culture in that dressing room of one that they’re all together and aligned behind the manager together to get performances.”
      TAM THE MAN
      Tammy Abraham has taken to Instagram to wish Reiss Nelson luck on loan at Feyenoord.
      Abraham is a boyhood Arsenal fan, with the Gunners missing out on signing the 23-year-old this summer after being strongly linked with a move for him.
      And Abraham has shown how close he is to members of the Arsenal squad with his message to Nelson.
      He reposted a picture of Nelson’s Feyenoord announcement on his story, and wrote: “showtime broskiii.” in a vote of confidence for his pal.
      AOUAR ON
      Arsenal and Tottenham could rekindle their interest in Houssem Aouar in January.
      Both North London clubs were linked with a move for the 23-year-old Lyon playmaker over the summer.
      A move failed to ever materialise but according to The Express he could be on his way to London before the season is over.
      With the Frenchman’s contract expiring in the summer of 2023, Lyon may be forced to sanction a move before losing Aouar for a cut-price fee or even on a free transfer.
      And with Aouar open to a new challenge elsewhere, a January move could well be on the cards.
      Getty Images
      TIME RUNNING OUT
      Arsenal legend Paul Merson believes Mikel Arteta does not have long before serious questions are asked of him at Arsenal.
      It’s after the Gunners find themselves bottom of the Premier League table after three games – without scoring a goal.
      And Merson believes if the situation is still the same by the next international break, Arteta could be relieves of his duties.
      He told Sky Sports: “Mikel Arteta will have [un]til the October internationals.
      “If they haven’t done anything by then he will be under pressure.”
      UPDATE ON AINSLEY
      After Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ dramatic Instagram story in which he publicly stated he wanted to leave Arsenal, tensions now seemed to have eased between him and the club.
      Journalist David Ornstein said during a live stream for The Athletic: “Ainsley Maitland-Niles has held clear-the-air talks with Mikel Arteta. For now, they have gone on to a better footing, normal service resumed, he’ll be back in training, and he’s said to be a key part of Arteta’s plans.
      “I think actions now speak louder than words. A player who’s under contract until 2023 and wants game time desperately. He’s 24 years old now, so he’s coming into a really important period of his career.
      “A key part of this was that Everton made an offer that Arsenal weren’t happy with – [a] loan with an option to buy, Arsenal see him as an academy product, a top player who’s had international honours – you either make us a really good loan offer, which by that, I presume means a high loan fee, or a permanent transfer. They turned down £20m last year from Wolves.
      “But now they seem to be in a good space. And he’ll be staying at Arsenal for the coming season, or at least until January.”
      OUT OF LAC
      Alexandre Lacazette is set to leave Arsenal on a free transfer next summer.
      According to football.london the Frenchman has rejected a contract extension from the Gunners.
      The 30-year-old was linked with a move away from North London with his contract expiring at the end of the season, but no move materialised.
      It means Lacazette is free to agree a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs from January 1, and this campaign looks set to be his last at Arsenal.
      SEAD’S DEMANDS
      It was reported earlier that Sead Kolasinac was on the brink of a move to Turkish side Fenerbahce, according to football.london.
      But the club’s President Ali Koc claims the move broke down for financial reasons, with Kolasinac’s demands out of reach for Fenerbahce.
      And now those figures have been revealed.
      Koc told Sporx: “[Kolasinac’s camp] contacted us and told us their demands. They asked for a three-year contract, €3million (£2.5m) a year [£50,000-a-week] with a €3million (£2.5) signing-on fee.
      “The issue was brought [to us] before our coach arrived. He wasn’t interested.”
      SUMMER SPENDING
      According to analysis by the Deloitte Sports Business Group, this summer represented the lowest gross spending between season window since 2015.
      The analysis suggests top-flight clubs spent a combined £1.1billion before 11pm last night, 11% less than last summer’s window.
      And Deloitte report that the gross spending is down 20% on 2019, largely due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
      Despite that the number of players signed by Premier League clubs actually increased.
      Last summer 132 signings were made, while 148 new deals were announced before yesterday’s deadline.
      CALLED OUT
      Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has questioned the leadership skills of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Granit Xhaka.
      He said: “There’s no real sort of signings that I look at and think, wow, you know, they really excite me.
      “But what they do have is a group of players that need to come together as quickly as possible and form a team.
      “I think with Arsenal that sometimes it’s not the signings that they bring in; it’s more the actual senior players that you look at and think, well, what are they getting from them?
      “What are they getting from Aubameyang, Lacazette, Xhaka? Those players that you think would hold them together – the goalkeeper.
      “They’ve got to really sort of get themselves right in the next few weeks and create an atmosphere and culture in that dressing room of one that they’re all together and aligned behind the manager together to get performances.”
      WINDOW WONDERS
      SunSport reckons this team could certainly challenge for the title if they played together – especially with the devastating attack.
      Arsenal’s Ben White is at centre-back, but he is the only one of Arsenal’s six summer signings selected for the starting line-up.
      Meanwhile, the likes of Kurt Zouma, Martin Odegaard, Emi Buendia, Joe Willock, Dan James, Odsonne Edouard and Patson Daka were among the best signings to make the fantasy bench.
      The total transfer cost of the starting XI, three of whom signed on deadline day, adds up to a whopping £457.5m.

      OUTGOINGS
      It’s been a busy summer of outgoings as well as incomings at the Emirates.
      Here’s a reminder of TWENTY players who have left the club:

      Reiss Nelson – Feyenoord, loan
      Dani Ceballos – end of loan
      Mat Ryan – end of loan
      Lucas Torreira – Fiorentina, loan
      David Luiz – released
      Mark McGuinness – Cardiff, undisclosed
      Trae Coyle – FC Lausanne-Sport, undisclosed
      Zech Medkley – KV Oostende, undisclosed
      Dinos Mavropanos – Stuttgart, loan
      Daniel Ballard – Millwall, loan
      Ben Sheaf – Coventry, undisclosed
      Matt Smith – Doncaster, loan
      Matteo Guendouzi – Marseille, loan
      William Saliba – Marseille, loan
      Tyreece John-Jules – Blackpool, loan
      Harry Clarke – Ross County, loan
      Joe Willock – Newcastle, £25m
      Miguel Azeez – Portsmouth, loan
      Alex Runarsson – OH Leuven, loan
      Hector Bellerin – Real Betis, loan

      MOST EXPENSIVE SIGNINGS
      Two of Arsenal’s most expensive signings came during the summer transfer.
      And with Martin Odegaard’s deal from Real Madrid still undisclosed it may well be three.
      The £50million paid for Ben White makes him Arsenal’s third most expensive signing ever, while goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale rounds off the list.
      Do you think the Gunners have paid over the odds for the two Englishmen?
      Or do you think it’s money well spent with both players possessing significant future potential?

      ‘VERY NAIVE’
      Former Premier league defender Danny Mills has hit out at Eddie Nketiah after reports emerged he rejected a move to Crystal Palace due to his high wage demands.
      And Mills said: “He’s daft, that’s what it is. He’s being badly advised. Sometimes you have to take a step backwards to take two steps forwards.
      “You have to back yourself and say: ‘You know what, it’s not really what I want right now, I might have to take a little bit of a cut, but I’m going to go there.
      “‘I’m going to go there and score goals, I’m going to show how good I am and then the season after that or the season after that, everyone is going to be coming in after me because I’ve scored 15, 20 goals in the Premier League.
      He went on to say: “I think that’s very naive, because what will happen is you’ll have this season where you will do absolutely nothing, you end up on a free transfer and everyone is going, ‘well, you’ve not played for a year, you don’t really know what you’re doing’.
      “You’re always best to go out and play, no matter what.”
      Getty Images
      NORTH LONDON DERBY
      Arsenal made an offer to sign Tottenham new boy Emerson Royal, reports suggest.
      According to Marca, the Gunners offered Barcelona £8.5million plus Hector Bellerin for his services.
      But Barcelona rejected the offer, with the cash-strapped club only willing to deal in cash.
      The Catalan club are already well equipped at right-back with Sergino Dest, so did not feel the need to bring another in.
      So instead they accepted Spurs’ offer that could rise to £26million and the full-back will play on the white side of North London, rather than the red.
      ‘NOT MY FAVOURITE THING’
      Arsenal summer signing Martin Odegaard has already revealed there is something he doesn’t like at the club.
      Gunners chiefs have given Amazon cameras all access to their 2021/22 season ahead of Arsenal’s ‘All or Nothing’ Prime documentary.
      But the 22-year-old Norway international is not a huge fan of the cameras.
      He said: “I must admit that it’s not my favourite thing to have cameras everywhere.
      “You automatically think a bit more about what you are saying when there are cameras there, but the crew is discreet.”
      MORE OF THE MESSAGE
      Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham also said: “Our approach for this window was framed by fully recognising that we are not where we want to be on the pitch.
      “Finishing eighth last season, with no European football for the first time in many years.
      “This is well below the standards each of us all have, and of course that our fans rightly demand of us, which is to be competing for the biggest trophies in the game.
      “Whilst we would love to jump from where we are to where we want to be in an instant, we need to be realistic that the gap is too large to do that.
      “As such, our activity this window has been focused on youth.”
      GUNNER STRATEGY
      Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham has sent a message to Arsenal’s playing and coaching staff, detailing what the Gunners’ strategy was for the summer and for future windows.
      In a message to the club, he said: “Our strategy is to fill our squad with some of Europe’s most exciting young talent, with players from both our academy and further afield, that can grow and develop together under Mikel to take us where we want to get too.
      “Whilst this will not be overnight, we can make positive progress, and it gives us the best route to future success in a sustainable way.”
      ‘ALL LOVE’
      Arsenal legend Ian Wright has taken to social to praise the departing Hector Bellerin.
      The 26-year-old joined La Liga side Real Betis in a loan deal on deadline day, and Wright was quick to thank Bellerin and wish him well.
      He posted a picture of himself and Bellerin together at the Emirates to his Instagram story.
      And he captioned it: “Always represented the club with pure love and respect.
      “We have all learned so much from you, Enjoy your time at Betis. All love.”
      WHERE THERE’S A WILL
      One of the conditions for Arsenal ripping up Willian’s contract at the Emirates was that his new club had to be one outside of Europe.
      According to outlet UOL, transfer chief Edu did not want Willian to join a Premier League or European rival.
      There was interest in the Brazilian from Lyon, Marseille and AC Milan, but in the end the 33-year-old sealed a return to Brazilian club Corinthians.
      And if Willian had tried to force a move through to another club in Europe, his exit from the club may not have been as amicable as it was.
      Getty Images
      DONE DEALS
      And in case you lost track of who Arsenal have signed over the past few weeks here is a reminder.

      Nuno Tavares (Benfica – undisclosed)
      Albert Sambi Lokonga (Anderlecht – £15m)
      Ben White (Brighton – £50m)
      Martin Odegaard (Real Madrid – undisclosed)
      Aaron Ramsdale (Bournemouth – £30m including add-ons)
      Takehiro Tomiyasu (Bologna – £19.8m)

      Which one of those players are you most excited about, Gunners fans?
      CONTRACT EXTENSIONS
      It’s been a busy summer at Arsenal in terms of new signings, but the Gunners have also tied down some of their best talents to new long term deals.
      Kieran Tierney and Emile Smith-Rowe both put pen-to-paper on new contracts in a huge boost for the club.
      At 23-years-old Tierney is expected to captain Arsenal in the future, while 21-year-old Smith-Rowe has been the shining light in a dismal start to the season so far.
      19-year-old goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo has also signed a new contract with the club over the summer.
      SOL SPEAKS
      Arsenal legend Sol Campbell is optimistic that Takehiro Tomiyasu has what it takes to succeed at Arsenal.
      The deadline day signing from Bologna can play either at right-back or at the heart of defence and has been brought in to add some steel to Arsenal’s leaky backline.
      Campbell told talkSPORT: “£19.8million, defender – good, 22 [years-old], looks strong, another potential player. That is what we’re looking at, at the moment.
      “I’d rather sell a couple of players, bring in a player that is ready to go – that can give you instant success and pad it out with a couple with potential.”
      HEY BIG SPENDERS
      Arsenal were the Premier League’s biggest spenders in the summer transfer window after landing Takehiro Tomiyasu on deadline day.
      The Gunners brought the right-back in from Bologna, confirming the signing just 15 minutes before the window slammed shut.
      He cost the club just shy of £20million – taking their overall expenditure to almost £150m after Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokongo, Ben White, Martin Odegaard and Aaron Ramsdale joined in a big-spending yet underwhelming window.
      Joe Willock was the only sale of note as he joined Newcastle.
      According to Transfermarkt’s figures, it took Arsenal’s net spend to £121m – more than any other club.

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      Man Utd transfer news: Sancho injured on England duty, Cristiano Ronaldo shirt number, on ‘great relationship’ with Ole

      by

      DEADLINE DAY has been and gone with Manchester United completing the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus.The Portuguese icon, 36, has been confirmed as a United player once again after moving back to England.
      Ronaldo is also set to take back his famous No 7 shirt from Edinson Cavani and could even take penalty duties off the ever-reliable Bruno Fernandes.
      Portugal play Ireland TONIGHT in a World Cup qualifier and the Old Trafford star could break the international goals world record.
      Meanwhile, Jadon Sancho has been injured on England duty and United are waiting to see the extent of his problems.
      Elsewhere, Daniel James has crossed the Pennines to sign a £30m deal with Leeds.
      While Dortmund have issued a final hands off warning on Erling Haaland, with the chase for the striker’s signature likely to rumble on.
      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
      Get all the latest Man Utd news, updates and transfer gossip here…
      SLOWEST SUMMER SPENDING SINCE 2015
      According to analysis by the Deloitte Sports Business Group, this summer represented the lowest gross spending between season window since 2015.
      The analysis suggests top-flight clubs spent a combined £1.1billion before 11pm last night, 11% less than last summer’s window.
      And Deloitte report that the gross spending is down 20% on 2019, largely due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
      Despite that the number of players signed by Premier League clubs actually increased.
      Last summer 132 signings were made, while 148 new deals were announced before yesterday’s deadline.
      ‘£500m HAALAND DEAL’ SCARED OFF PREM CLUBS
      Chelsea and Manchester City were scared off long-term Old Trafford target Erling Haaland in August by a staggering £500million bill over the next five years, reports say.
      The Borussia Dortmund goal machine’s sky-high package of transfer fee and wages mean interest in the 21-year-old could even be delayed for TWO transfer windows – until NEXT summer.
      Credit: Reuters
      RON: REJOINING UTD IS MY BEST DECISION
      Cristiano Ronaldo says he is back at Manchester United to win trophies rather than for sentimental reasons.
      But the Portugal superstar, whose 2003-6 Old Trafford spell was legendary, added: “I think it’s the best decision that I have made.
      “I’m so happy and glad, and I want to carry on again, to make history, to try to help Manchester achieve great results, to win trophies and number one of them, to win great things.”
      Credit: Alamy
      RED DEVILS WON’T RELAX
      Those Manchester United players stuck at home during this month’s international break can expect no let-up in training.
      That’s the message from United’s own media team!
      Old Trafford chiefs had already refused to release Edinson Cavani for Uruguay’s world Cup qualifiers with Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador on September 3, 6 and 9 respectively due to Covid 19 red-zone concerns.

      UTD ERLING BID ‘NEXT SUMMER’
      Manchester United WILL try to sign Erling Haaland summer, despite the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo.
      According to ESPN, the Red Devils are set to continue the pursuit of theit top target next summer.
      And when the season does come to an end Haaland will be available for as little as £65million thanks to a release clause in his contract that becomes active.
      Ole Gunnar Solskajer is desperate to bring fellow Norwegian Haaland to Old Trafford, and with the pair having previously worked together at Molde a deal could be on the cards.
      ESPN even report that the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo will help United get the Haaland deal over the line, due to Haaland’s desire to play alongside the footballing great.
      ROTATION POLICY
      Fromer professional Trevor Sinclair doesn’t think Cristiano Ronaldo will start every game for Manchester United.
      He believes the demands of a long season will be too much for the 36-year-old to be able to play 90 minutes every week.
      And Sinclair told talkSPORT: “Ronaldo will get the start, but when his legs start tiring that is when Edinson Cavani will get a chance.
      “The intensity is unbelievable in the Premier League. They will dovetail throughout the season.
      “Manchester United will play 60 games, he won’t be able to play every game and be top drawer in every single one.
      “It will be down to Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] to plan his games when he wants him to make his impact and when he wants him to play.
      RED CARD
      Manchester United’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka has today admitted driving his £160,000 Lamborghini Urus while disqualified.
      The 23-year-old right-back got behind the wheel of his 4×4 supercar on the A34 in Stockport, Greater Manchester, on June 23.
      He stood in the dock at Manchester Magistrates’ Court and spoke only to confirm his name and address and enter his guilty pleas during the brief hearing.
      District Judge Bernard Begley agreed that sentencing should be adjourned until a later date.
      Wan-Bissaka’s earlier conviction for speeding – leading to his ban and disqualification – is subject to a further hearing where the conviction may be set aside.
      He was stopped while behind the wheel of his £160,000 Lamborghini Urus on June 23 this year and roadside police checks revealed he was already banned from driving.
      Sentencing for the latest offences will depend on the outcome of the speeding hearing, the court heard.
      SKIPPER SPEAKS
      Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has called Cristiano Ronaldo the ‘greatest player to play the game’ after reacting to Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford.
      In his pre match press conference for England’s game against Hungary, Maguire said: “For me [he’s] the greatest player to play the game.
      “It’s amazing to have him at the club and I’m sure he’s going to have a huge impact on and off the field.
      “And many players can look and learn and improve [from him] and then obviously he’s going to improve our team as well with his goalscoring record.
      “So it’s amazing to have him at the club and I’m looking forward to meeting him in a few days.”
      RON NUMBERS
      Here are the numbers regarding Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United in case you missed them.
      The Red Devils will pay Juventus a €15million (£12.9m) transfer fee for Cristiano Ronaldo over the course of five years with an additional €8m (£6.9m) payable upon activating a number of performance related add-ons.
      For a player who has scored 674 goals in 895 career games that is not bad at all.
      He’s expected to make his second United debut on September 11 against Newcastle.
      ‘WIN-WIN’
      Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville believes there are no downsides to Dan James initial £24million move to Leeds United.
      The 23-year-old signed for the Whites on deadline day, with game time set to be scarce at Old Trafford following Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival.
      And Neville said on Sky Sports: “It’s really good for Dan James. It’s one of those where this is a win-win.
      “He came to United and always did his very best, he was a massive threat on the counter-attack, but United have a lot of players in those areas.
      “It’s really important for young players to go and play, and Leeds have always wanted him. They wanted him the first time round when United got him instead.
      “He’ll suit the way they play, the way they play with such pace on the counter-attack. He’ll love it there – the crowd’s a big crowd, a club that demands a lot.”
      ‘COUNT ON ME’
      Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed he is planning to have face-to-face talks with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer about his role in his team.
      And with Solskjaer yet to win silverware as the Red Devils boss, Ronaldo has vowed that his former team-mate can count on him to deliver.
      Speaking to United’s website about whether he has spoken to the Norwegian gaffer, he said: “Well, we had a chat.
      “But of course I’m going to have time to speak with him face to face, to know what he expects.
      “As you know, I played with him for two or three years at Manchester United so I have a good relationship with him but now with a different role, I’m a player and he’s a coach.
      “But it doesn’t matter, my relationship with him is great and as I say before, I’m there in Manchester to help the team achieve his results and the coach can count on me for whatever he wants. So I’m available for everything.”
      SANCHO WORRY
      England manager Gareth Southgate has revealed Jadon Sancho has picked up an injury while on international duty.
      In his press conference ahead of thr Three Lions’ clash against Hungary, Southgate said: “We’ve got a small knock with Jadon this morning so we’re going to assess him.”
      The news comes as a worry to Manchester United fans with Sancho starting just one Premier League game before picking up the injury.
      It’s not yet clear how long Sancho will be out, but with it being a ‘small knock’ it’s not expected to be too long.
      HAALAND BOOST
      Manchester United have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Erling Haaland.
      Former Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge believes the 22-year-old sensation will leave Germany when he leaves Borussia Dortmund.
      Bayern are notorious for signing Dortmund’s best stars, but when it comes to Haaland Rummenigge doesn’t think the Munich club have a chance.
      He told Sport Bild: “He [Haaland] has become an absolute figurehead in the league.
      “But I’m afraid he won’t be staying in the Bundesliga. The numbers that are circulating show that it’s difficult to keep him in Germany.
      “I assume that his future lies abroad.”
      WINDOW WONDERS
      SunSport reckons this team could certainly challenge for the title if they played together – especially with the devastating attack.
      Manchester United have three representatives in the side, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho on the wings between former Red Devil Romelu Lukaku.
      And Raphel Varane lines up at the back, meaning three out of United’s four summer signings are selected in the side.
      Meanwhile, the likes of Kurt Zouma, Martin Odegaard, Emi Buendia, Joe Willock, Dan James, Odsonne Edouard and Patson Daka were among the best signings to make the fantasy bench.
      The total transfer cost of the starting XI, three of whom signed on deadline day, adds up to a whopping £457.5m.

      EYES ON ERLING
      Manchester United WILL try to sign Erling Haaland summer, despite the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo.
      According to ESPN, the Red Devils are set to continue the pursuit of theit top target next summer.
      And when the season does come to an end Haaland will be available for as little as £65million thanks to a release clause in his contract that becomes active.
      Ole Gunnar Solskajer is desperate to bring fellow Norwegian Haaland to Old Trafford, and with the pair having previously worked together at Molde a deal could be on the cards.
      ESPN even report that the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo will help United get the Haaland deal over the line, due to Haaland’s desire to play alongside the footballing great.
      Getty Images
      OUTGOINGS
      We all know who Manchester United have signed this summer, but who has left the club in the past few weeks?

      Dan James – Leeds, £25m
      Tahith Chong – Birmingham, loan
      Joel Pereira – contract expired
      Sergio Romero – contract expired
      Nathan Bishop – Mansfield, loan
      Reece Devine – St Johnstone, loan
      Max Taylor – Rochdale, free
      Axel Tuanzebe – Aston Villa, loan
      Ethan Laird – Swansea, loan
      Dylan Levitt – Dundee United, loan
      Brandon Williams – Norwich, loan

      ON THE MOVE
      Cristiano Ronaldo has also spoken on his decision to return to Manchester in his first interview since re-signing for United.
      He told manutd.com: “I think it’s the best decision that I have made it. It’s right on point in my opinion.
      “I moved from Juve now to Manchester, it’s a new chapter, I’m so happy and glad, and I want to carry on again, to make history, to try to help Manchester achieve great results, to win trophies and number one of them, to win great things.”
      FATHER FIGURE
      Cristiano Ronaldo has been speaking to Manchester United’s official website on the role Sir Alex Ferguson had in bringing him back to the club, and the special relationship he has with his former boss.
      He said: “As everybody knows, since I signed for Manchester [United] at 18, Sir Alex Ferguson was the key.”
      “I remember when we played against Manchester when I was at Sporting Lisbon.
      “For me, Sir Alex Ferguson is like a father in football for me. He helped me a lot, he taught me many things, and in my opinion of course he had a big role because the relationship that we had, we keep in touch all the time, and he’s an unbelievable person.
      “I really like him a lot and he was the main key for me to be in the position that I am, that I signed for Manchester United.”
      NO THANK YOU
      Ligue 1 side Lyon made a late effort to sign Anthony Martial.
      According to L’Equipe the club tried and failed to bring the 25-year-old to France on deadline day.
      He’s said to have turned down a move to the side where he made his professional debut in 2012.
      Instead Martial will stay at United, where he has been the subject of criticism in recent weeks.
      And he’s set to have his playing time significantly reduced after Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival from Juventus, and Marcus Rashford set to make a return from a shoulder injury in the coming weeks.
      DAN DEAL
      Daniel James leapfrogged David Beckham to become Manchester United’s fourth most expensive sale.
      The Welsh winger, 23, completed his transfer to Leeds on deadline day, penning a five-year contract.
      And the £25million switch to Elland Road – which could rise to £30m – is among the biggest fees received by the Red Devils.

      IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
      Manchester United reportedly blocked Donny van de Beek from joining Everton on loan on deadline day.
      That is despite the £35million midfielder ‘wanting to leave’ Old Trafford.
      And according to AD in his homeland, the Dutch international was hoping to secure a transfer away this summer to get playing regularly again.
      Everton was the most likely destination with the Toffees willing and able to meet the demands of the £125,000-a-week flop.
      But Ole Gunnar Solskjaer put the brakes on a move and prevented the centre-mid from leaving, labelling a deal as ‘non-negotiable’ and promising the midfielder he will ‘get his chances’.
      Getty Images
      ATTACKING THREAT
      Manchester United legend Gary Neville doesn’t think it will take Cristiano Ronaldo long to settle back into life at Old Trafford, but he isn’t sure on what United’s best options are going forward.
      Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: “I don’t think he will have to adapt too much.
      “Manchester United have got fantastic forward players, they’ve got good creative players in [Paul] Pogba and [Bruno] Fernandes and [Donny] Van de Beek.
      “So with [Jadon] Sancho out wide, [Marcus] Rashford, [Anthony] Martial and [Mason] Greenwood, they should create plenty of chances for him.
      “Obviously the question would be – I love Cavani – so it will be a question as to whether they play either or, or whether they can both play together somehow.
      “Including myself, everyone is thinking that Cristiano is going to play No9, but could he play just to the left of Cavani?
      “And then Greenwood or Sancho to the right, which I just think would be a guarantee of goals.”
      BIGGEST DEALS
      This has been a transfer window to remember and here is the Premier League’s top five biggest blockbuster moves.
      Manchester United are responsible for two out of the five biggest deals, with former Red Devil Romelu Lukaku also on the list.

      Jack Grealish (Manchester City from Aston Villa, £100m)
      Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea from Inter Milan, £97.5m)
      Jadon Sancho (Manchester United from Borussia Dortmund, £73m)
      Ben White (Arsenal from Brighton, £50m)
      Raphael Varane (Manchester United from Real Madrid, £41m)

      RON REJECTION
      Cristiano Ronaldo sensationally offered Barcelona his services before he rejoined Manchester United.
      That’s according to Diario Sport, who claim Barcelona immediately rejected the chance to sign the 36-year-old.
      Instead CR7 returned to Old Trafford in an initial £13million deal.
      He’s expected to make his second debut for the club on September 11 against Newcastle.
      NOT ENOUGH
      Sky Sports pundit and Manchester United legend Gary Neville doesn’t think the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo will be enough to lead them to a first Premier League title since 2013.
      Neville said: “The big question every Manchester United fan, probably every fan in the Premier League will be asking is is it enough for them to challenge for the title and win the the title?
      “I don’t quite feel it is. I still think there are a couple of teams that are better.
      “I think the Premier League is the strongest since the mid-2000s. 
      “I think it’s an unbelievably strong Premier League at this moment in time with great coaches, great teams and great players and that’s been strengthened by this transfer window.”
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      Tomiyasu CONFIRMED, Lacazette ‘to reject new Arsenal deal’, Bellerin LEAVES, Maitland-Niles to stay, Aouar transfer OFF

      by

      ARSENAL completed some very late business on transfer deadline day with the £20m signing of Takehiro Tomiyasu from Bologna.The Japan international defender put the finishing touches to the deal in the final hour of deadline day.
      While right-back Hector Bellerin has left the club on loan, moving to Real Betis for the rest of the season.
      And Ashley Maitland-Niles – who openly asking for a move via Instagram – will stay with the club after talks with management.
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      Get all the latest transfer news, gossip and updates below…
      WILLIAN MESSAGE
      Willian issued a message to Arsenal after terminating his contract at the Emirates.
      He said: “I would like to thank Arsenal for the opportunity they have given to me and for the warm welcome received by everybody at the club.
      “Unfortunately things on the pitch didn’t go the way we had all planned and hoped, I received a lot of criticism especially from some members of the press that I had come here for financial reasons…
      “I hope with my actions today explain to those people and they now understand that was not the case.
      “I hope it teaches some people that they should not be so quick to pass judgement and creat(e) bad environments to make themselves important even though I accept that’s part of the game”
      BELLERIN REMINDER
      Hector Bellerin joined boyhood club Real Betis on a season-long loan after Arsenal struck a deal to sign Bologna right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu.
      Bellerin failed to feature in any of the Gunners’ first three Premier League matches, with Calum Chambers and Cedric Soares preferred.
      In a statement on their club website, Arsenal wrote: “Everyone at Arsenal wishes Hector the best of luck with Real Betis this season.”
      Now new-boy Tomiyasu will hope to have as much – if not more – success than the Spain international after his move to the Emirates

      WILLIAN SLAM
      Willian’s agent Kia Joorabchian has criticised Arsenal after his client terminated his contract.
      Joorabchian told Talksport: “I think Willian did the right thing, he went for the project and the project wasn’t there.
      “Unfortunately, I’d have to say, which player has moved to Arsenal that has not been a disaster in the last couple of years? That one I speak as a fan.
      “I don’t think this is about Willian. I think something has gone wrong [at Arsenal] and this is just one piece of the puzzle.
      “Nobody blames [Mikel] Arteta, we all want Arteta to do well. Even as fans, they might be disgruntled at the moment but they want the best for the football club. Willian wants all the success for Arteta and this Arsenal team”
      WILSHERE STATUS
      Former Arsenal star Jack Wilshere is training with Serie B side Como as he is still without a club.
      Wilshere admitted he would like to play abroad during a recent interview with The Athletic.
      The midfielder spent 10 years at the Gunners’ first team and was sent twice on loan to Bolton as well as Bournemouth.
      However, the former England international was plagued by injury at the Emirates and had similar problems at West Ham later on
      NELSON REACTS
      Reiss Nelson is looking forward to playing for Feyenoord after his loan move from Arsenal.
      Nelson said: “I’m looking forward to playing in this beautiful stadium.
      “Feyenoord is a wonderful club and a great challenge for me.
      “I hope I can get the fans cheering soon”
      MAITLAND-NILES SITUATION
      Arsenal ace Ainsley Maitland-Niles will stay at the club this season after his move to Everton was blocked.
      Maitland-Niles publicly asked to leave and go to a club where he was ‘wanted’ on Instagram.
      According to the Daily Mirror’s John Cross, however, the midfielder has held clear-the-air talks with Gunners manager Mikel Arteta.
      And the 24-year-old will now be in Arteta’s plans for the season
      GETTY IMAGES
      AOUAR STAYS
      Lyon star Houssem Aouar was linked with a move to Arsenal for yet another transfer window.
      Aouar was also targeted by the Gunners’ north London rivals Tottenham, reports suggest.
      However, the two clubs could come back in the future as the playmaker’s contract with the French giants runs out in 2023.
      Nevertheless, Arsenal are in no need as they signed Martin Odegaard from Real Madrid
      CHECK MAIT
      Jamie Carragher feels for Arsenal ace Ainsley-Maitalnd Niles, whose move to Everton was blocked and he is now training away from the first team after an Instagram post where he expressed his desire to be somewhere where he can play.
      Carragher said: “I feel a little bit for him as all he wants to do is to play football. It looks like there’s no real future for him at Arsenal.
      “At the last minute, they’re blocking a move to Everton from what I can gather.
      “I read something this morning which said that he isn’t going to be training with the first-team now, maybe that was a punishment for the Instagram post.
      “But, sometimes players just want to go and play football. I don’t think he’s causing too much of a problem at Arsenal and they don’t want to use him.
      “They were using different players at full-back, I think they were using Cedric [Soares] and Calum Chambers there.
      “Maitland-Niles can fill that position, whether he’s good enough for Arsenal; who knows, but if they want to use him then play him and if they don’t, let the lad go and play some football”
      RUNAR AWAY
      Runar Runarsson has broken his silence after moving to Leuven on loan from Arsenal.
      Runarsson failed to offer sufficient competition for the Gunners’ starting goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
      The Iceland international said: “I haven’t been between the posts very often lately, so I was mainly looking for a club where I can count on some more playing opportunities.
      “As a child I lived in Belgium for seven years. I know what to expect from the country, the football and the people”
      EDU REACTS
      Arsenal technical director Edu is “delighted” with the arrival of Takehiro Tomiyasu.
      Tomiyasu has moved to the Gunners from Bologna following a £19.8million deal between the two clubs.
      Edu said: “We’re delighted to have signed Takehiro.
      “We’ve been watching him for a while now and we’re pleased that we have reached an agreement with Bologna.
      “He is an important addition to our squad”
      GETTY IMAGES
      BIGGEST DEALS
      This has been a transfer window to remember and here is the Premier League’s top five blockbuster moves:

      Jack Grealish (Manchester City from Aston Villa, £100m)
      Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea from Inter Milan, £97.5m)
      Jadon Sancho (Manchester United from Borussia Dortmund, £73m)
      Ben White (Arsenal from Brighton, £50m)
      Raphael Varane (Manchester United from Real Madrid, £41m)

      OUT OF LAC
      Arsenal star Alexandre Lacazette has decided that he wants to leave once his contract expires next summer.
      That is according to Football London, who claim Lacazette is set for his last 10 months at the Emirates.
      This means the striker is free to talk with other clubs about a free transfer in January before his deal expires in June.
      The France international has been linked with an exit from north London throughout the entire summer
      ART OF THE DEAL
      Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has praised summer signing Takehiro Tomiyasu and is especially pleased with his versatility.
      Arteta said: “Takehiro is a strong defender with good experience in Serie A and at international level.
      “He’s a versatile defender with great defensive qualities, high technical ability and composure on the ball.
      “He will be an important member of our squad. We look forward to Takehiro joining up with us when he returns from international duty”
      DEALS COMPLETED
      Arsenal seem to have completed their summer transfer business.
      Takehiro Tomiyasu appears to be their last signing after his move from Bologna.
      The versatile defender cost the Gunners £19.8million and can play at centre-back, right-back and defensive midfield.
      And it seems like the north Londoners are done until January

      JAPANESE CONNECTION
      Arsenal signing Takehiro Tomiyasu has been welcomed to the club by fellow player Mana Iwabuchi.
      Iwabuchi had a special message for Tomiyasu that she shared in their native Japanese language.
      Check it out:

      MERSON REACTS
      Paul Merson is not totally convinced with Arsenal’s transfer business this summer as they signed various players no other top clubs were after.
      Merson told Sky Sports: “My only problem with Arsenal is that they buy players, but they never beat anyone to a player. No one else is after those players.
      “With the lad from Bologna [Takehiro Tomiyasu], the first thing that comes into my head is that he’s a right-back, €23million, so why are Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan not buying him? I don’t get that.
      “Arsenal are desperate for a right-back so hopefully he will be a hit. €23m isn’t going to break the bank for Arsenal and he might be a corker, he might be brilliant.
      “But at the same time, he’s going to be coming into a struggling defence that is leaking goals left, right and centre. Let’s wait and see”
      TOMIYASU MESSAGE
      Arsenal signing Takehiro Tomiyasu moved to the Emirates following a £19.8million move from Bologna.
      Tomiyasu had a message for the Gunners fans ahead of his new challenge in north London.
      The centre-back said: “I promise you I will give everything to contribute to the team.
      “I’m looking forward to seeing you in the stadium”
      Hi Tomi! 👋 💬 “I promise you I will give everything to contribute to the team. I’m looking forward to seeing you in the stadium.” It’s time for a message from our latest signing… 🤳 pic.twitter.com/p22bQhs0q5— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 31, 2021

      NOT BEDTIME YET
      The summer transfer window has slammed shut but there is still the “deal sheet”.
      This allows a club to confirm that a deal has been reached and buys them extra time to submit all the documentation.
      It gives those teams looking to get late business completed a further two hours, which means 1am on September 1 in this case.
      But if a club is looking to complete an international transfer, they must still comply with the FIFA Transfer Matching System (TMS) deadline of midnight
      ARSENAL EXITS
      Now let’s look back at those who left Arsenal either on a permanent deal or on loan:
      Reiss Nelson (Feyenoord – loan)
      Dani Ceballos (end of loan)
      Mat Ryan (end of loan)
      Lucas Torreira (Fiorentina – loan)
      David Luiz (contract expired)
      Mark McGuinness (Cardiff – undisclosed)
      Trae Coyle (FC Lausanne-Sport – undisclosed)
      Zech Medkley (KV Oostende – undisclosed)
      Dinos Mavropanos (Stuttgart – loan)
      Daniel Ballard (Millwall – loan)
      Ben Sheaf (Coventry – undisclosed)
      Matt Smith (Doncaster – loan)
      Matteo Guendouzi (Marseille – loan)
      William Saliba (Marseille – loan)
      Tyreece John-Jules (Blackpool – loan)
      Harry Clarke (Ross County – loan)
      Joe Willock (Newcastle – £25m)
      Miguel Azeez (Portsmouth – loan)
      Alex Runarsson (OH Leuven – loan)
      Hector Bellerin (Real Betis – loan)
      ARSENAL DONE DEALS
      Arsenal’s summer transfer window has been completed with the late addition of Takehiro Tomiyasu from Bologna.
      Let’s have a look back at who Tomiyasu is joining:
      Nuno Tavares (Benfica – undisclosed)
      Albert Sambi Lokonga (Anderlecht – £15m)
      Ben White (Brighton – £50m)
      Martin Odegaard (Real Madrid – undisclosed)
      Aaron Ramsdale (Bournemouth – £30m including add-ons)
      Takehiro Tomiyasu (Bologna – £19.8m)

      TRANSFER WINDOW HAS SLAMMED SHUT IN THE UK!
      DONE DEAL: TOMIYASU SIGNS
      Arsenal have CONFIRMED the signing of Japan international defender Takehiro Tomiyasu for a fee just shy of £20million.
      The signing takes Arsenal’s summer spending just over £150m for the summer.
      As it stands, the Gunners will finish the summer as the Premier League’s biggest spenders.
      Boss Mikel Arteta has been backed by the board and he must now DELIVER and get a tune out of his stars.
      GUNNING FOR GLORY
      Takehiro Tomiyasu looks set to be the 29th player to join Arsenal in the post-Wenger era.
      Not long left to go in the window!

      FINAL HOUR
      There is less than one hour remaining before the summer transfer window SLAMS shut in the United Kingdom.
      There are still some deals for Premier League clubs to get over the line, but will we see any late surprises?
      Arsenal are yet to announce Takehiro Tomiyasu.
      DONE DEAL: REAL BETIS SIGN BELLERIN
      Real Betis have signed Hector Bellerin on a season-long loan.
      The Spanish full-back has found himself out of favour under Mikel Arteta.
      SunSport understands there is no option to buy included in the agreement with the LaLiga outfit.
      Arsenal have announced his departure for the season.

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      Cristiano Ronaldo ‘to get Man Utd No 7 shirt’, Cavani STAYING, Dan James to Leeds CONFIRMED, Martial LATEST

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      DEADLINE DAY has been and gone with Manchester United completing the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo.The Portuguese icon, 36, has been confirmed as a United player once again after moving from Juventus.
      Ronaldo is also set to take back his famous number 7 shirt from Edinson Cavani and could even take penalty duties off the ever-reliable Bruno Fernandes.
      Elsewhere, Daniel James has crossed the Pennines to sign a £30m deal with Leeds.
      While Dortmund have issued a final hands off warning on Erling Haaland, with the chase for the striker’s signature likely to rumble on.
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      Get all the latest Man Utd news, updates and transfer gossip here…
      RON THE MARK
      Former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer has praised Manchester United for signing Cristiano Ronaldo.
      Palmer told Football FanCast: “He can play in the number nine role, you can play him out wide, you can play him off the top, you know, he’s an unbelievable fit player.
      “It’s just a magnificent bit of business, a feelgood factor.
      “I went for Man United before the league started, I went for them to win it and I’m still sticking with that, if they can get the Pogba deal done which I’m sure they will do, I think they’ve got a great chance this season.”
      RONALDO PAYMENT DETAILS
      Manchester United will pay Juventus a €15million (£12.9m) transfer fee for Cristiano Ronaldo over the course of five years with an additional €8m (£6.9m) payable upon activating a number of performance related add-ons.
      An official statement from Juve read: “Juventus Football Club S.p.A. announces that an agreement with Manchester United FC Ltd for the definitive disposal of the registration rights of the player Dos Santos Aveiro Cristiano Ronaldo has been reached for a consideration of € 15.0 million payable in five financial years, which might be increased, up to a maximum of €8.0 million, upon achievement of specific performance objectives over the duration of the employment contract with the player.
      “This operation generates a negative economic impact of approximately €14.0 million on the 2020/2021 financial year due to the partial write-down of the net book value of the player’s registration rights.”
      Ronaldo is expected to make his United debut after the international break
      CAVANI STAYS
      Edinson Cavani has stayed at Manchester United despite last-minute reports suggesting he will leave.
      Cavani was linked with a move to Barcelona on transfer deadline day but nothing materialised.
      Therefore, the striker will be part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad for the season.
      However, it is not yet certain which shirt number he will be wearing as rumours suggest he could hand No7 back to the returning Cristiano Ronaldo
      OLE ON RONALDO
      Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is certain Cristiano Ronaldo will have even more success in his second stint at Old Trafford.
      Solskjaer said: “You run out of words to describe Cristiano.
      “He is not only a marvellous player, but also a great human being. To have the desire and the ability to play at the top level for such a long period requires a very special person.
      “I have no doubt that he will continue to impress us all and his experience will be so vital for the younger players in the squad.
      “Ronaldo’s return demonstrates the unique appeal of this club and I am absolutely delighted he is coming home to where it all started”
      GETTY IMAGES
      CR7 AGAIN?
      Manchester United signing Cristiano Ronaldo looks set to reclaim the iconic No7 jersey following confirmation of his return to Old Trafford, reports suggest.
      Edinson Cavani, who is currently allocated the legendary number, is reportedly willing to give up the cherished shirt.
      And there is indeed a precedent for changing Premier League squad numbers.
      Former Tottenham star Emmanuel Adebayor switched from 25 to 10 in the 2012-2013 season.
      Nevertheless, the top flight has given no indication on how the request would be received
      VARANE REACTS
      Raphael Varane is very pleased that he will reconnect with former Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United.
      Varane told MUTV: I am very happy.
      “He’s a legend and all players can learn when you play with him.
      “It’s a great help for all players, for all young players, and of course he never stops scoring goals, so he will help the team.”
      QUESTION MART
      Manchester United legend Dimitar Berbatov believes Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival at Manchester United leaves a ‘big question mark’ over Anthony Martial.
      The same goes for the rest of the forwards, such as Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Edinson Cavani.
      Berbatov told Betfair: “Where Ronaldo fits into the United side is the question I asked myself because we have Martial, Rashford, Sancho and Cavani so there are a lot of attacking options.
      “I actually think Martial is going to have a big question mark over his head and I’m probably more concerned about that”
      PELE MESSAGE
      Cristiano Ronaldo has received a good luck message from Pele after his return to Manchester United.
      The Brazilian legend issued a short message to Ronaldo via his Instagram account.
      Pele posted: “There is no better feeling than conquering the world and returning home.
      “Always be happy, Cristiano”
      GETTY IMAGES
      JAMES FAREWELL
      Manchester United bid farewell to Daniel James after his move to Leeds during deadline day.
      James joined Marcelo Bielsa’s side following a £25million deal between the two clubs.
      United issued the following statement: “Everybody at Manchester United wants to thank Daniel for his excellent contribution during his two years as a Red.
      “Be it as a starter, substitute or squad member, he always gave 100 per cent and he leaves with our very best wishes for the future.”
      MORE FROM JAMES
      Former Manchester United ace Daniel James described his move to Leeds as “completely the right decision”.
      James told Sky Sports: “For my footballing career, it was completely the right decision.
      “Don’t get me wrong, I had an unbelievable time [at United], I made good friends and had a good bond with the fans.
      “But, I feel it’s time to move on and I’m looking forward to it. I’d say I’m a different player [since signing for United two years ago], I only played half a season when I nearly signed here last term.
      “I’ve got more games under my belt at the top level and I’d like to think I can add something else here”
      BIGGEST DEALS
      This has been a transfer window to remember and here is the Premier League’s top five biggest blockbuster moves:

      Jack Grealish (Manchester City from Aston Villa, £100m)
      Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea from Inter Milan, £97.5m)
      Jadon Sancho (Manchester United from Borussia Dortmund, £73m)
      Ben White (Arsenal from Brighton, £50m)
      Raphael Varane (Manchester United from Real Madrid, £41m)

      THE ED
      Former Manchester United transfer target Eduardo Camavinga joined Real Madrid during deadline day.
      Camavinga moved from Rennes following a €40million (£34.4m) deal that saw him signing a six-year deal.
      The midfielder was linked with a transfer to United among other clubs before becoming a Real player.
      But reports suggest the France international only wanted to go to Spain all along

      RON THE RIGHT TRACK
      Juventus are reportedly set to save a significant amount of money after Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure.
      Ronaldo left Juve to return to Manchester United following a £12.9million deal, that is expected to include add-ons.
      According to Calcio e Finanza, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s departure will contribute to the Bianconeri being €52.332million (£44.9m) better off.
      Juventus, though, haven’t been able to sign a big star to replace the Portugal captain
      JAMES FAREWELL
      Daniel James bid farewell to Manhcester United after his move to Leeds.
      James tweeted: “I always wore the @ManUtd shirt with honour and pride.
      “Thank you to everyone at the club who I have worked with over the last 2 years.
      “I’ve made fantastic friends and memories, but now is time to move on to the next step.
      “All the best for the future!”
      I always wore the @ManUtd shirt with honour and pride. Thank you to everyone at the club who I have worked with over the last 2 years.I’ve made fantastic friends and memories, but now is time to move on to the next step. All the best for the future! pic.twitter.com/vnSBDRekwS— Daniel James (@Daniel_James_97) August 31, 2021

      FIRST SNAPS
      Manchester United have shared the first pictures of Cristiano Ronaldo wearing their jersey.
      Ronaldo has returned to United from Juventus following a £12.9million deal, that is expected to include add-ons.
      The five-time Ballon d’Or winner comes back 12 years after leaving for Real Madrid.
      More below:

      RONALDO MESSAGE
      Cristiano Ronaldo has issued a heartfelt message to Manchester United fans ahead of his imminent return to Old Trafford.
      Ronaldo stated that United have always occupied a special place in his heart as that is where it all began for him.
      The five-time Ballon d’Or winner also dedicated this transfer to legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
      Here’s what he posted on his Instagram:

      RONALDO PREDICTION
      Paul Merson believes Manchester United star signing Cristiano Ronaldo will bring goals but warned fans he’s not the same player they remember.
      Merson told Sky Sports: “They will get goals. Put the ball in the box and he will score goals, there’s no doubt. But what the Manchester United fans need to remember is that this is not the Ronaldo who was embarrassing defenders when he was last at United. He is not going to get the ball out wide, do four stepovers, cut inside and score.
      “I can’t wait to see him, but he is just not going to be the same player. He is not going to be able to run past too many defenders. Nobody gets better at that age.
      “We have to remember that Juventus have let him go. They brought him in to win the Champions League. Last season, they didn’t even win Serie A”
      NOT BEDTIME YET
      The summer transfer window has slammed shut but there is still the “deal sheet”.
      This allows a club to confirm that a deal has been reached and buys them extra time to submit all the documentation.
      It gives those teams looking to get late business completed a further two hours, which means 1am on September 1 in this case.
      But if a club is looking to complete an international transfer, they must still comply with the FIFA Transfer Matching System (TMS) deadline of midnight
      MAN UTD EXITS
      Now let’s look back at those who left Manchester United either on a permanent deal or on loan:
      Dan James (Leeds – £25m)
      Tahith Chong (Birmingham – loan)
      Joel Pereira (contract expired)
      Sergio Romero (contract expired)
      Nathan Bishop (Mansfield – loan)
      Reece Devine (St Johnstone – loan)
      Max Taylor (Rochdale – free)
      Axel Tuanzebe (Aston Villa – loan)
      Ethan Laird (Swansea – loan)
      Dylan Levitt (Dundee United – loan)
      Brandon Williams (Norwich – loan)
      DONE DEALS
      Let’s look back at Manchester United’s stunning summer transfer window, which saw them completing some incredible signings, including the return of five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo:
      Tom Heaton (Aston Villa – free)
      Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund – £73m)
      Raphael Varane (Real Madrid – £41m)
      Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus – £12.9m)

      TRANSFER WINDOW HAS SLAMMED SHUT IN THE UK!
      UPCOMING FIXTURES
      With no late deadline day drama, Manchester United fans can head to bed early, free from stress, and able to dream of the return of domestic football after the international break.
      It’s sure to be a packed September too with the Red Devils facing a whopping six games in 18 days. Here’s how the action-packed schedule looks:

      Man Utd v Newcastle (Premier League, Sept 11)
      Young Boys v Man Utd (Champions League, Sept 14)
      West Ham v Man Utd (Premier League, Sept 19)
      Man Utd v West Ham (Carabao Cup, Sept 21)
      Man Utd v Aston Villa (Premier League, Sept 25)
      Man Utd v Villarreal (Champions League, Sept 29)

      DAN DEPARTS
      Daniel James completed his £25m move to Leeds United earlier today, but hasn’t left Old Trafford without wishing a fond farewell to those at Manchester United.
      The Welsh winger has taken to social media to express his gratitude to those who have helped him during his time at United, bidding the club good luck as he acknowledges that the time is right to move on.
      “I always wore the Man Utd shirt with honour and pride. Thank you to everyone at the club who I have worked with over the last two years.
      “I’ve made fantastic friends and memories, but now is time to move on to the next step. All the best for the future!”
      DE BEEK DENIED MOVE
      Donny van de Beek has endured a miserable time since joining Manchester United from Ajax for £35m just under a year ago.
      The Dutchman’s Old Trafford career got off to a promising start with a goal on his debut in a 3-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace.
      However, since then, the 24-year-old has found his playing time severely limited, and in total he managed just 512 minutes of Premier League football during 2020-21.
      As a result, his agent was keen to force a move away from United before the close of the transfer window this evening, and has tonight stated that there was plenty of interest from clubs in England, Germany and Italy – only for United to block a transfer at each opportunity.
      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer suggested earlier this month that De Beek had a greater part to play this term, but the midfielder is yet to make it on to the pitch.

      NUMBERS GAME
      Eagle-eyed Manchester United fans have been frantically analysing the footage of Cristiano Ronaldo’s press shots to see if there is any hint as to whether the Portuguese legend will be reclaiming his famous number seven shirt.
      The Old Trafford club would require special dispensation from the Premier League if Ronaldo is utilise his CR7 brand as Edinson Cavani has already been registered as the club’s number seven for the season.
      In usual circumstances, it would be interesting to know whether a player of Cavani’s calibre would be so accommodating as to give up his number, but the Uruguayan could be convinced now that the number 21 shirt – previously worn by Daniel James – is available. The striker wears 21 when appearing for his country.
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      Transfer Deadline Day LIVE: Saul Niguez £4.3m Chelsea loan CONFIRMED with £30m BUY option, Mbappe to Real Madrid back on

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      THE transfer window is now SLAMMED shut!And we saw a frantic evening of activity across Europe from clubs on deadline day, capped off by Chelsea securing the loan signing of Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid.
      While Arsenal bolstered their defensive ranks with the very late £20m transfer of Japan international Takehiro Tomiyasu from Bologna.
      Follow all of the latest transfer updates below…

      Deadline: Transfer window now closed
      Chelsea CONFIRMED the loan signing of Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid. The deal is also reported to have a £30m option to buy.
      Real Madrid saw a £189m bid for Kylian Mbappe – who is out of contract next season – REJECTED by PSG.
      Tottenham have signed Barcelona star Emerson Royal.
      Cristiano Ronaldo completed his long-awaited return to Man Utd on a two-year deal.
      West Ham confirmed the capture of 2020 Russian Player of the Year Nikola Vlasic.
      Odsonne Edouard made the move down south, heading from Celtic to Crystal Palace.

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      BELLER-OUT
      Hector Bellerin joined boyhood club Real Betis on loan after Arsenal struck a deal to sign Takehiro Tomiyasu.
      Bellerin failed to feature in any of the Gunners’ first three Premier League games, with Calum Chambers and Cedric Soares preferred.
      In a statement on their club website, Arsenal posted: “Everyone at Arsenal wishes Hector the best of luck with Real Betis this season.”
      Now Tomiyasu will hope to have as much – if not more – success than the Spain international after his move to the Emirates

      TRAORE REMINDER
      Wolves rejected a £30million bid from Tottenham for Adama Traore on Monday.
      That is according to The Athletic, who report that Bruno Lage’s side weren’t interested in selling Traore to Spurs.
      The north Londoners did not come back with an improved offer on Tuesday.
      Thus, the winger will be staying at Molineux this season
      AURIER TERMINATED
      Tottenham and Serge Aurier have mutually agreed to terminate his contract shortly after deadline day.
      Aurier still had a year left on his deal but Spurs were unable to sell him this summer.
      Lille and Genoa posed as options but a move to either team did not materialise.
      Therefore, the full-back will be leaving the club as a free agent

      CR7 AGAIN?
      Manchester United signing Cristiano Ronaldo is likely to reclaim the iconic No7 jersey following confirmation of his return to Old Trafford, reports suggest.
      Edinson Cavani, who is currently allocated that number, is reportedly willing to give up the cherished shirt.
      And there is a precedent for changing Premier League squad numbers.
      Former Tottenham ace Emmanuel Adebayor switched from 25 to 10 in the 2012-2013 season.
      Nevertheless, the Premier League has given no indication on how the request would be received
      MAITLAND-NILES SITUATION
      Arsenal ace Ainsley Maitland-Niles will stay at the club after his move to Everton was blocked.
      Maitland-Niles publicly asked to leave and go to a team where he was ‘wanted’ on Instagram.
      According to the Daily Mirror’s John Cross, however, the midfielder has held clear-the-air talks with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.
      And the 24-year-old will now be in Arteta’s plans for this season
      AOUAR STAYS
      Lyon star Houssem Aouar was linked with a move to Arsenal and Tottenham during the summer transfer window.
      But Aouar ultimately stayed in the Ligue 1 outfit for yet another season.
      The two north London clubs could come back in the future as the playmaker’s contract runs out in 2023.
      Nevertheless, Arsenal are in no urgent need as they signed Martin Odegaard from Real Madrid
      DE JONG DONE DEAL
      Barcelona have confirmed the arrival of Luuk de Jong from Sevilla on deadline day.
      This comes after Barca made a staggering £73million loss on Antoine Griezmann, who returned to Atletico Madrid.
      The Blaugrana are dealing with some serious financial problems that led to Lionel Messi leaving the club.
      A handful of other players also had to take pay-cuts

      OUT OF LAC
      Arsenal star Alexandre Lacazette has decided that he wants to leave the club once his contract expires next summer.
      That is according to Football London, who report that Lacazette is set for his last 10 months at the Emirates.
      This means the centre-forward is free to talk with other clubs about a free transfer in January before his deal expires in June.
      The France international has been linked with an exit from north London throughout the entire summer transfer window
      RON THE RIGHT TRACK
      Juventus are reportedly set to save a significant amount of cash after Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure.
      Ronaldo left Juve to return to Manchester United after a £12.9million deal, that is expected to include add-ons.
      According to Calcio e Finanza, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s exit will contribute to the Bianconeri being €52.332million (£44.9m) better off.
      Juventus, though, haven’t been able to sign a big star to replace the Portugal international
      GOING FOR THE KYL
      Real Madrid didn’t get to sign Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain during the summer transfer window.
      Reports suggest Real offered a whopping £189million for Mbappe but PSG turned them down.
      However, the star striker’s contract with the Parisians runs out next summer and he doesn’t seem at all keen on extending his stay in the French capital.
      Therefore, the France international will be free to seal a move to Los Blancos in January
      THE ED
      Former Manchester United target Eduardo Camavinga joined Real Madrid during transfer deadline day.
      Camavinga moved from Rennes after a €40million (£34.4m) deal that saw him signing a six-year deal.
      The midfielder was linked with United among other clubs before becoming a Real player.
      But reports suggest the France international only wanted to go to Spain all along

      BIGGEST DEALS
      This has been a transfer window to remember and that doesn’t just apply to the Premier League, as we saw Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain.
      However, the Prem has seen a number of blockbuster moves taking place and here is this summer’s top five:

      Jack Grealish (Manchester City from Aston Villa, £100m)
      Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea from Inter Milan, £97.5m)
      Jadon Sancho (Manchester United from Borussia Dortmund, £73m)
      Ben White (Arsenal from Brighton, £50m)
      Raphael Varane (Manchester United from Real Madrid, £41m)

      MEND TO BE
      Paris Saint-Germain ended the summer transfer window the same way they started it, in style.
      PSG have been on fire this year having signed the likes of Georginio Wijnaldum, Achraf Hakimi, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos and six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi.
      And now the Parisians have landed 19-year-old prospect Nuno Mendes.
      Mendes, who is considered among the most talented young left-backs, has joined on an initial loan deal with an option to buy

      LUUK OUT
      Barcelona have completed the signing of Luuk de Jong on transfer deadline day.
      That is according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who reports that De Jong will be joining Barca from Sevilla.
      LaLiga confirmed that they received the Netherlands international’s papers in time.
      The same goes for Antoine Griezmann, who went back to Atletico Madrid on loan
      OFFICIAL. La Liga confirm that Antoine Griezmann and Luuk de Jong transfers paperworks have been received in time. Checked and completed. 🔴🤝 #DeadlineDay— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 31, 2021

      MANN COMES AROUND
      Barcelona star Antoine Griezmann has completed a shock return to Atletico Madrid.
      According to Sky in Italy, the Barca and Atletico reached an agreement on deadline day for Griezmann to move back to the Spanish capital on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy for £34.4million next year.
      Atleti were able to move for the star forward after Saul Niguez’s move to Chelsea.
      Saul departed for the Blues on an initial loan with option to buy worth £33.5m overall

      LATE SIGNINGS
      Southampton ace Michael Obafemi has moved to Swansea on transfer deadline day.
      Meanwhile, Valencia completed the loan signing of Helder Costa from Leeds after Daniel James’ arrival from Manchester United.
      Sheffield United have landed Robin Olsen from Roma on an initial season-long loan with option to buy.
      Olsen spent last season on loan at Everton
      CAM ON
      Cameron Carter-Vickers has joined Celtic from Tottenham on loan with an option to buy.
      Carter-Vickers said: “I am absolutely delighted to agree this move to Celtic.
      “It is a really exciting opportunity for me and I am desperate to meet my new team-mates and get going for the season ahead.
      “I know I am going to a huge Club which means so much to so many people and I will be doing all I can to bring our fans the success which their support deserves”

      SAUL DONE
      Saul Niguez has OFFICALLY joined Chelsea from Atletico Madrid on deadline day.
      Saul has moved to Stamford Bridge on loan from Atletico in what marks a dramatic ending for the west Londoners’ transfer window.
      Chelsea confirmed the midfielder’s arrival on social media.
      Check it out:

      HERE WE GO
      Saul Niguez has OFFICIALLY joined Chelsea from Atletico Madrid on deadline day, according to Fabrizio Romano.
      The Blues have signed Saul on a season-long loan in a bid to boost their midfield.
      The west Londoners paid €5million (£4.3m) and have an option to buy worth €40m (£34.3m).
      More below:
      OFFICIAL. Confirmed. Saúl joins Chelsea Football Club on a loan move from Atletico Madrid [€5m] with buy option for €40m. Here we go. 🔵🇪🇸 #CFC #DeadlineDay— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 31, 2021

      NOT BEDTIME YET
      The summer transfer window has slammed shut but there is still the “deal sheet”.
      This allows a club to confirm that a deal has been reached and buys them extra time to submit all the documentation.
      It gives those teams looking to get late business completed a further two hours, which means 1am on September 1 in this case.
      But if a club is looking to complete an international transfer, they must still comply with the FIFA Transfer Matching System (TMS) deadline of midnight
      SAUL IN
      Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirms that Saul Niguez is on his way to Chelsea.
      Romano claims the move is “done and completed” as all the paperwork is being dealt with.
      Here’s what he tweeted:
      Saúl will play for Chelsea Football Club. The deal is done and completed. Here we go CONFIRMED. They’re signing now all paperworks. It’s DONE. 🔵 #CFC #DeadlineDay— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 31, 2021

      SAUL STILL ON
      Saul Niguez’s move to Chelsea is still on despite the summer transfer window slamming shut in the UK.
      According to Sky Sports, paperwork will be uploaded in time despite late scare.
      If all goes well then Saul is expected to move on loan from Atletico Madrid.
      That will mark a significant boost to Blues manager Thomas Tuchel’s midfield
      OJO-Y
      Liverpool winger Sheyi Ojo has joined Millwall on loan on transfer deadline day.
      Preston were also in talks to take the Ojo but the Lions snatched him from under North End’s noses

      THAT SALS IT!
      Everton have signed Salomon Rondon from Dalian Professional on a free transfer.
      Rondon has put pen to paper on a two-year contract with the option for a third season.
      The former West Brom star said: “I’m really glad to be back in the Premier League.
      It’s a competition I enjoyed playing in and where I felt the fans’ support in every game.
      “Defending the colours of a club with a history as rich as Everton’s fills me with pride.
      “I can’t wait to pull on the shirt and be reunited with Rafa Benítez, a coach who has changed the way I understand the game. I’m really grateful for the faith he’s shown in me”
      ✍️ | Salomón Rondón has joined from Dalian Professional on a free transfer, signing a two-year contract with the option for a third season. #EFC 🔵— Everton (@Everton) August 31, 2021

      TALE OF TWO CITIES
      Manchester City defender Philippe Sandler will spend the season on loan with sister club ESTAC Troyes.
      The Dutch centre-back joins club mate Patrick Roberts in moving to France for the current campaign.
      Both players had interest in England but have taken the chance to gain experience in Europe
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      in Soccer

      Transfer Deadline Day LIVE: Saul Niguez to Chelsea BACK ON, Tottenham ‘Neves talks’, Kounde UPDATE, Madrid buy Camavinga

      by

      STRAP yourself in – Transfer Deadline Day is here! It’s set to be a frantic day of activity across Europe as clubs scramble to get last minute deals across the line before the window closes this evening.
      Don’t miss any of the transfer drama with our live blog below…

      Deadline: 11pm TONIGHT
      Real Madrid have had an offer accepted for Rennes star Eduardo Camavinga, with the youngster completing a medical in Spain.
      Tottenham have had a bid accepted for Barcelona star Emerson Royal and are in rumoured to be in talks with both Ruben Neves and Adama Traore.
      It could be a busy day at Chelsea, with the Blues still not giving up hope on Jules Kounde – but they have reportedly missed out on Saul Niguez.
      Cristiano Ronaldo has completed his long-awaited return to Man Utd on a two-year deal.
      West Ham have confirmed the capture of 2020 Russian Player of the Year Nikola Vlasic.
      PSG are waiting to see if Real Madrid come back with another bid for superstar Kylian Mbappe, but the deal looks unlikely.
      Odsonne Edouard is all set to make the move down south, heading from Celtic to Crystal Palace.

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      GRIEZ RETURN?
      Barcelona are willing to let Antoine Griezmann return to Atletico Madrid on loan, reports say.
      The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath is reporting that the proposed move could free up Saul Niguez to move to Chelsea on loan.

      I NEED A HIRO
      Arsenal are set to complete the signing of Japanese star Takehiro Tomiyasu from Bologna, writes ETIENNE FERMIE.
      The defender may be little known in England, but he is a rising star that has already had brushes with Europe’s elite.
      From marking Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Serie A to rejecting Barcelona as a kid, Tomiyasu has pedigree as a shrewd potential acquisition.
      With the Gunners poised to confirm his arrival at the Emirates, how about we get to know the defender a little better?
      Meet Takehiro Tomiyasu the Tottenham target that wanted to be a swimmer
      JAMES’ JOY
      New Leeds United signing Daniel James has been expressing his delight to Sky Sports News after he finally made the move to Elland Road for £25m.
      The Welsh international joins from Manchester United, having almost made the move to Yorkshire from Swansea in 2019.
      “It feels great. I’m glad everything is over the line now and I’m excited to get going and move forward.
      “It’s all happened in the last day or two. It’s been a whirlwind, a bit of a crazy time for me, but I’m here now. I’m grateful that the club still believe in me from that time two-and-a-half years ago.
      “Last time I signed everything and it fell through at the last minute. Everything today has felt like déjà vu, and it feels just like yesterday. There were a couple of jokes in the boardroom about it.
      The last time I came here was with Swansea two weeks after I didn’t sign and I got a loud roar from the crowd then, and that’s when I wasn’t playing for them. I’m really looking forward to it now I am.Daniel JamesSky Sports News
      DONE DEAL: NELSON JOINS FEYENOORD
      Feyenoord have signed Arsenal academy product Reiss Nelson on loan.
      The 21-year-old will wear the No14 shirt for the Dutch outfit.
      Sporting Director Frank Arnesen is over the moon with the signing.
      He said: “We’ve been following Reiss for months. Getting him to Feyenoord was one of our priorities in this transfer window, so we are very happy that it worked out and that we can welcome him today.
      “Reiss is a very creative attacker, a fast boy with good action who can make it very difficult for defenders in one-on-one.
      “We can use such a player in our vanguard.”
      Nelson is equally as excited to embark on this new adventure.
      He added: “I’m looking forward to playing in this beautiful stadium.
      “Feyenoord is a wonderful club and a great challenge for me. I hope I can get the fans cheering soon.”
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      LOAN MOVE
      Academy graduate Reiss Nelson is set to join Dutch side Feyenoord on loan.
      The club have dropped a hint on Twitter about a possible imminent signing, expected to be the 21-year-old.
      Feyenoord tweeted: “Hey @FabrizioRomano, here we go!”
      The club have also teased fans with a ‘guess who’ image, which you need to shake to reveal the face of Nelson.
      DONE DEAL: MUNOZ SIGNS
      Newcastle have completed the signing of highly rated Mexican forward Santiago Munoz on an 18-month loan….. sound familiar?
      The 19-year-old arrives from Mexican top-flight side Santos Laguna.
      He scored three goals and provided three assists in 13 league games last season.
      The loan deal has an option to be turned into a permanent move should he have a successful spell with the club’s academy.
      SET TO STAY
      Man Utd and England midfielder Jesse Lingard won’t leave Old Trafford this summer.
      The 28-year-old will stay at United and fight for his place, despite having less than a year left on his current contract.
      West Ham – where he spent a successful six months on loan – have opted to sign Croatian attacking midfielder Nickla Vlasic for £33million.

      DONE DEAL: JAMES JOINS LEEDS
      Dan-tastic! Two-and-a-half years after Dan James was first pictured holding a Leeds United shirt, the Welshman has finally signed on at Elland Road.
      The forward joins Marcelo Bielsa’s squad from Manchester United for a fee of £25m, having put pen to paper on a five-year contract.
      James was first set to join the Whites on deadline day in January 2019, having completed a medical and photoshoot with the Yorkshire club.
      However, his then-club, Swansea City, pulled the plug on the £10m deal at the eleventh hour after a disagreement over its structuring.
      Six months later, the Welsh international moved to Old Trafford for £15m, and went on to score six goals in 50 Premier League appearances.
      RON TOP
      Dream Team gaffers have the entire international break to think about their strategy for September, writes NICK ELLIOT.
      The central question to answer: is Cristiano Ronaldo a must-have asset?
      Man United confirmed the return of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner to Old Trafford on Friday after a dramatic day of twists and turns during which he was initially linked with Man City.
      The Portugal international is arguably the greatest goalscorer in football history – he’s scored at least 30 goals in ten of the last eleven seasons.
      Ronaldo is without a doubt the most prestigious player to ever be introduced (reintroduced) to Dream Team.
      And that’s why he will have a starting price of £7.5m.

      CZECH MATES
      Alex Kral looks set to join West Ham on deadline day.
      The Czech Republic international will link-up with international team-mates Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal, according to The Telegraph.
      Kral to West Ham is 90 per cent done, and the midfielder will add some much-needed depth to the midfield.
      The agreement is believed to be a season-long loan with an option to buy.
      Spartak chief Evgeny Melezhikov confirms final paperwork now being completed.
      He said: “Kral is leaving. We had different options for him (Atalanta). We’ve agreed on all terms with West Ham.”
      According to SunSport’s Duncan Wright, the move will allow highly rated midfielder Conor Coventry to join Peterborough on loan.
      Soucek and Kral are the Czech Republic’s starting midfieldersCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      BERAHINO’S BACK
      League One high-flyers Sheffield Wednesday have swooped to sign Saido Berahino.
      The 28-year-old had been playing his football in Belgium with Zulte Waregem and Charleroi, but has returned to England to join the South Yorkshire club on a permanent deal.
      The former West Brom striker was seen as something of a wonderkid when he shot on to the scene at the Hawthorns, but suffered a fall from grace after an ill-fated move to Stoke City.
      Having joined the Potters for £12m in January 2017, Berahino went more than two-and-a-half years without scoring a goal.
      However, he has recently spoken about having matured as a player and person, and will hope to rebuild his reputation at Hillsborough.
      CROWN JULES
      It is unlikely that Chelsea will sign Jules Kounde before tonight’s 11pm deadline.
      According to journalist J Montanelli, the Blues will need to activate his release clause in order to sign him.
      Chelsea have previously submitted a bid worth £47million, £21m short of his 368m release clause.
      Kurt Zouma was, of course, sold to West Ham to help fund a move for the Frenchman.
      ‘HE’S REALLY GOOD’ 
      Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has called imminent Arsenal arrival Takehiro Tomiyasu ‘really good’.
      Tomiyasu is a name Gunners fans will only be familiar with as he was linked with a move to rivals Tottenham.
      But Romano has added to the excitement of the signing, describing what’s to come of the defender.
      He said: “He’s really good.
      “Right-back, centre-back, sometimes also left-back. Serious guy, top professional.”
      SWAP FEL
      Barcelona are exploring the possibility of swapping Antoine Griezmann for Joao Felix, reports say.
      According to SPORT, The LaLiga giants – who have just lost Lionel Messi – have offered a swap deal.
      At first, Barca tried to pinch Felix on loan, but the LaLiga champions swiftly turned the offer down.
      The second offer, however, involves sending Griezmann back to Atletico.
      Atletico have not yet made a decision about the offer.
      ITS SAUL GOOD
      Saul’s representatives are ‘working hard’ to engineer a move away from Atletico Madrid in the final hours of the window.
      According to Sky Sports, Saul is open to a loan move to the Premier League with Chelsea being his likely destination.
      The player does NOT have to travel to England to complete a move.
      Atletico appear to be preparing to replace Saul should a move go through.
      The LaLiga champions are interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain playmaker Pablo Sarabia, according to Get French Football News.
      The two parties are currently discussing the terms of a loan deal.
      Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      ON BLAST
      Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan, who is a regular feature on talkSPORT, has blasted Ainsley Maitland-Niles for his social media plea to leave Arsenal.
      Maitland-Niles posted on Instagram pleading with the club to let him go to a club where he will feel ‘wanted’ after the Gunners reportedly turned down an approach from Everton.
      However, Jordan believes the player should be fined two weeks wages for his outburst.
      He said on talkSPORT: “If it was me, I would find him two weeks wages and then say ‘You’re definitely staying’.
      “It’s bringing the club into disrepute, the club is in a very fractious position right now with players left right and centre underperforming and the manager under pressure.
      “The last thing you need to see is a player coming out and making observations that he’s not loved at the club.
      “I would make him stay unless there’s a reason to loan him or transferring him out; it would certainly not be to Everton. He’s under contract and he does as he’s told.”
      ITTEN OUT AT IBROX
      Glasgow Rangers have just announced that their Swiss striker Cedric Itten has left to join Bundesliga outfit Greuther Furth on a season-loan.
      The forward joined the Ibrox club from St Gallen for a fee of around £2.7m a year ago, and fired six goals in all competitions as Rangers went the entire league campaign undefeated.
      The Scottish Premiership champions have included a recall option in today’s deal should they wish to bring the player back to Glasgow later in the season.
      DAV THAT
      West Ham-linked Slavia Prague defender David Zima has joined Serie A outfit Torino.
      The 20-year-old Czech international has joined Torino for a shrewd £4.2million.
      Zima was in the Czech Republic’s Euro 2020 squad that managed to reach the quarter-finals.
      But the Czechs were beaten by Denmark 2-1.
      LEICESTER’S LOOK IN
      Leicester City have already bolstered their attacking fire power this summer with the signing of Zambian international Patson Daka, and now look set to add Ademola Lookman to their ranks.
      The 23-year-old forward is poised to join the Foxes on a season-long loan from RB Leipzig, having spent a similar spell at Fulham last term. He is currently undergoing a medical in the East Midlands.
      The former Charlton and Everton talent scored four goals in 34 appearances while with the Cottagers, including one against Leicester in a 2-1 win at the King Power Stadium.
      However, Lookman blew hot and cold during his time by the Thames, and was unable to stop the London club’s relegation from the Premier League earlier this year.

      HEC-TIC DAY
      Hector Bellerin could finally be on his way out of Arsenal, according to reports.
      The Athletic are reporting that right-back is expected to join LaLiga outfit Real Betis on loan with NO option to buy. 
      Bellerin is yet to make an appearance for the Gunners this season.
      And he is expected to be replaced by Takehiro Tomiyasu.

      FREE AGENT
      French side Lyon are in talks to sign free agent Jerome Boateng, according to Fabrizio Romano.
      And French outlet RMC report Boateng is now set to undergo a medical with the Ligue 1 side.
      The 32-year-old centre-back left Bayern Munich earlier this summer after his contract expired.
      He played over 200 times for the Bavarian club in a ten-year spell in Munich.
      But now he is close to sealing a deal to Ligue 1 side Lyon, with the club in ‘direct contact’ with the German international’s agent and a medical now booked in.
      Getty Images
      EIGHT HOUR WARNING
      Another hour has passed on deadline day.
      There’s just eight hours left now for clubs to get their deals done.
      We’ll keep you right up to date with all the latest news as deals continue to go through right up to the 11pm deadline.
      Don’t go anywhere, there’s plenty of drama left to play out yet!
      MERRY-GO-ROUND
      Super-agent Jorge Mendes attempted to seal Anthony Martial a move to PSG, according to MadridistaReal.
      The Athletic reported Martial was touted as a possible replacement for Kylian Mbappe should he leave the French giants for Real Madrid.
      But with the transfer window nearing an end any potential transfer for Mbappe seems unlikely.
      Real Madrid had reportedly handed PSG an ultimatum to accept their initial £145.6million offer, which included £8.6m in add-ons.
      But nothing materialised and Real Madrid are now preparing to try and tie up a pre-contract agreement for the 22-year-old on January.
      Should that transfer go ahead PSG could their attention to Martial who has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford in recent weeks.
      PROUD PAGE
      SunSport’s Phil Cadden reports Burnley newboy Connor Roberts has been hailed as Premier League class after joining Sean Dyche’s men.
      That’s the verdict of Roberts’ Wales boss Rob Page.
      Roberts shone for the Dragons at Euro 2020 and that set up his £2.5million move from Swansea to Turf Moor.
      The right-back scored in the 2-0 win over Turkey but then suffered a serious groin injury in the last-16 defeat to Denmark which ended his Euros. 
      Roberts is expected to be on the sidelines for another month but when asked if Roberts is Prem quality, Page beamed: “Absolutely. He’s a great player. I’ve never seen a right back like him.
      “Defensively, he’s very good but he’s got the energy to play like a winger.
      “I think back to the Slovakia game when Kieffer [Moore] scores the header, he makes a near post run from right back.
      “If he doesn’t make the run then Kieffer doesn’t get the header.
      “I’ve never seen another full-back do that in my life so he’s got bags of energy. He’s a great lad as well and that alone will get him a top move. He deserves it.”
      DAN UPDATE
      Daniel James’ move to Leeds United is DONE, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
      Romano reports the signing has been ‘confirmed.’
      All that’s left now is for the official announcement from the two clubs.
      The 23-year-old joins the Elland Road outfit in an initial £24million deal after spending two years in Manchester.
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