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      Cristiano Ronaldo angrily denies Real Madrid transfer talk, Harry Kane to face Pacos de Ferreira, Abraham joins Roma

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO has taken to Instagram to furiously deny rumours that he will join Real Madrid.Meanwhile Harry Kane will reportedly make his Tottenham return against Pacos de Ferreira in the Europa Conference League, with Man City yet to meet Daniel Levy’s asking price.
      And Tammy Abraham has been praised by Jose Mourinho after completing his transfer to Roma.

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      Follow ALL of the latest news and updates below…
      ODEGAARD-EAL
      Arsenal are closing in on a deal for Martin Odegaard.
      That’s according to David Ornstein, who reports that the 23-year-old could even feature THIS WEEKEND against Chelsea.
      A deal worth £29million is said to have been agreed between the clubs, but there is still a substantial amount of paperwork left to be finalised.
      Odegaard’s agent was reportedly in London today to discuss a deal, and it seems as though talks have progressed well.
      He will rejoin the Gunners after scoring two goals in 20 games for Arsenal in a loan spell during the second half of last season.
      AOUAR ON FOR ARSENAL
      Long-term Arsenal target Houssem Aouar is still an option for the Gunners.
      That’s according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who revealed Arsenal’s interest in the 23-year-old is still there.
      But now Spurs are also interested in the Lyon midfielder, who is said to be available for just £17-21million.
      And Romano told the Arsenal Lounge Podcast: “It is a completely different situation when they wanted the player last summer, but it was not easy to find an agreement with the player and Lyon at the end of the window.
      “But now he could still be an opportunity for Arsenal and for Tottenham. They are both in contact with his agent.
      “So, they are still looking at the situation, and if Lyon gives the green light in the coming days, he could become an option for Arsenal too.”
      DONE DEAL
      Premier League new boys Brentford have signed Spanish goalkeeper Alvaro Fernandez on an initial season long loan deal.
      The 23-year-old was part of Spain’s silver medal winning squad at Tokyo 2020 and joins on a temporary deal with the option to buy.
      He links up with the Bees from Spanish side Huesca and will provide competition with David Raya for the number one jersey.

      SUNSPORT EXCLUSIVE
      Crystal Palace have had a £5million bid for Will Hughes turned down by Watford, CHARLIE WYETT reports.
      But Palace, although keen on the midfielder, are insisting they will not offer a penny more.
      Hughes, 26, is currently training with the under-23s at Watford as he has refused to sign a fresh-two year deal.
      He is now in the final year of his contract but Watford still believe he is worth more than what Palace have offered.
      But it looks likely that Hughes, who insisted he was happy at Vicarage Road last season, will end up moving before the transfer window closes.
      Hughes joined four years ago in a £5m deal from Derby, who have a 15per cent sell-on clause.
      RON MOVE
      A furious Cristiano Ronaldo has condemned the media for linking him with Real Madrid and a host of other clubs.
      The Juventus forward labelled the speculation “disrespectful” to all the clubs involved.

      CROWN JULES
      Spanish journalist Jose Manuel Garcia has claimed Jules Kounde has asked Sevilla to accept an offer from Chelsea for him.
      The 22-year-old has reportedly agreed personal terms with the Blues but a transfer fee is yet to be agreed with Sevilla.
      Chelsea were eager to include Kurt Zouma in a player-plus-cash deal, but the Frenchman isn’t keen on a move away from London.
      As a result talks stalled, but now the deal could be revived with Kounde personally asking Sevilla to leave.
      LEON LATEST
      Manchester United have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka.
      The 26-year-old is in the final year of his contract with Bayern, but it’s unsure whether he’ll put pen to paper on a new deal.
      That’s after the Express reported that Bayern Munich president Herbert Hainer said they won’t pay over the odds to secure his future.
      And German outlet Bild report that United have offered the midfielder a £200,000 per-week deal should he leave Bayern on a free transfer nect summer.
      ADVANCED TALKS
      The Gunners are in advanced talks to sign Martin Odegaard, according to AS journalist Jorge Picon.
      Odegaard’s agent is reported to have been in London today to discuss a deal for his client, with the 23-year-old eager on a move away from Madrid.
      And Arsenal are in the market for an attacking midfielder as Mikel Arteta looks to find a long-term replacement for Mesut Ozil.
      The Gunners are lacking creativity in the middle of the pitch, and that showed in the dismal 2-0 defeat to Brentford on Friday night.
      OD ONE OUT
      Martin Odegaard’s agent is in London with a view to securing a move to Arsenal.
      However, the player has yet to follow him with sources telling the AFC Bell that the Norwegian trained at Real Madrid as normal today.
      مصادر مقربة من مارتن أوديغارد تؤكد لـ #جرس_أرسنال أن اللاعب خاض المران المخصص اليوم مع بقية زملائه في ريال مدريد على الرغم من عدم وجود صور له أثناء الحصة حتى اللحظة.— TheAFCBell 🇵🇸 (@TheAFCBeII) August 17, 2021

      WIZARD OF OZ
      Watford have held preliminary talks over the potential signing of Fenerbache holding midfielder Ozan Tufan.
      The 26-year-old has no fewer than 86 caps for Turkey meaning it is highly likely a work permit application would be accepted if the Hornets can strike a deal.
      #WatfordFC transfer update Initial talks have taken place re signing of Fenerbahce’s Ozan Tufan. Holding mid, 26, 86 Turkey caps, understood to be on shortlist being considered, but nothing agreed yet.@TheAthleticUK— Adam Leventhal (@AdamLeventhal) August 17, 2021

      ANDREAS EXIT
      Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira is close to agreeing a move to Brazilian side Flamengo.
      That’s according to Globo Esporte, who claim United have sent “positive signals” regarding a one year loan deal.
      The 25-year-old has been linked with a permanent move away from Old Trafford, with Lazio said to be interested in bringing him back to the Serie A after a loan spell last season.
      Everton and Fenerbahce were also interested, but the player is said to prefer a move to Brazil.

      EYES ON NANDEZ
      Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has claimed Tottenham are keen on signing Cagliari defender Nahitan Nandez.
      And the Uruguayan is equally interested in a move to North London.
      The 25-year-old has been capped 45 times by his country and has spent the last two seasons with Cagliari in Serie A.
      Romano told Matt Hayes’ YouTube channel:
      “No official bid has been made and nothing advanced for but he is one of the names Tottenham have been enquiring for in the last few days talking directly with Cagliari, the player is on the market because he’s desperate to leave.
      “He wants to try something new.”

      TAM’S FAREWELL
      New Roma striker Tammy Abraham has taken to social media in an emotional farewell post to Chelsea.
      The 23-year-old posted on Instagram after sealing a £34million switch to the Italian capital.
      He said: “Thank you.
      “It’s time to say goodbye to a club that means so much to me and my family.
      “From playing at the academy as a young kid from Peckham to winning the Champions League all those years later… I want to say thank you to my teammates, The Academy, all of the staff and of course, the Chelsea fans who have always supported me.
      “Wouldn’t be who I am today without you guys. Bring more trophies home boys! Love you all x TA9 out”
      SARR SEARCHING
      Manchester United and Chelsea are interested in a deal for FC Metz midfielder Pape Matar Sarr.
      That’s according to Football Insider, with the 18-year-old said to be rated at around £28million.
      Chelsea and Real Madrid are also keen on the signature of the one-cap Senegal man, with Sarr scoring four goals in 27 Ligue 1 games from defensive midfield for Metz last season.
      United and Chelsea are willing to loan Sarr back to Metz for the upcoming season to help his development, with the youngster highly rated among Europe’s top clubs.

      TOP TWO TARGETS
      The Gunners are “obsessed” to sign Martin Odegaard, Fabrizio Romano has revealed via his Twitch stream.
      Odegaard’s agent is reportedly in London today to discuss terms with Arsenal, with the 23-year-old himself desperate for an Emirates return after spending the second half of last season on loan in North London.
      But if Real Madrid don’t allow the Norwegian international to leave, Arteta will turn his attention to James Maddison.
      Fabrizio Romano has revealed the Leicester man is Arsenal’s second target, with the 24-year-old being linked with a £70million move to North London earlier this summer.
      KO LOAN
      Manchester City defender Ko Itakura is set to seal a move to German side Schalke.
      That’s according to Sky Sports’ Max Bielefeld, who reports that a deal is almost done for the Japanese international.
      The 24-year-old has spent the last two years on loan with Dutch side FC Groningen, and is now set for another loan spell.
      A £3.4million optional permanent fee is also included in the deal.
      He’s set to fly to Germany tomorrow to put pen to paper for the 2. Bundesliga side.

      LATERS LACA
      Alexandre Lacazette could be on his way out of the Emirates.
      That’s according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who claims the 30-year-old has a greater chance of leaving than Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
      Both players missed Friday’s dismal 2-0 defeat to Brentford with a mystery illness, and could soon seal a move away from the Emirates.
      Romano said: “I would keep an eye out on Lacazette more than Aubameyang, talking about transfers.
      “Because there is a chance Lacazette will be leaving in the next days, and so let’s see what happens.”
      NO JOKING
      Sheffield United boss Slavisa Jokanovic says Arsenal remain keen on England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
      The talented stopper, 23, is desperate to join Mikel Arteta’s side after being relegated to the Championship.
      But Jokanovic has warned Arteta he will not let Ramsdale go for pennies.
      The Blades boss said: “It’s natural he wants to be a Premier League player. I am talking with him, he believes it can be a good move for himself.
      “Right now he is a United player. It will depend on our club and Arsenal too because they are pushing for him but at this moment there is no change.
      “He is a talented English player and I understand Arsenal are interested, but this is the business.
      “If he is one of the best players in the league, his price is high and it’s up to Arsenal if they want him. They need to spend a lot of money.
      “I will be disappointed [if he leaves] but it’s part of the realistic situation.
      “Arsenal is pushing from one side and I am pulling from a different side.”
      COURTING KURT
      Tottenham are interested in a move for Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma.
      That’s according to Sky Sports, who claim Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are in the market for another defender.
      And the 26-year-old Frenchman is the man they want, despite already signing centre-back Cristian Romero for £47million from Atalanta.
      Zouma has been widely linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer, with first team opportunities hard to come by under Thomas Tuchel.
      And it could be London rivals Spurs who snap him up.

      PREM DIG
      Bayern Munich manager Julien Nagalsmann has slammed Premier League clubs for their spending this window.
      It follows Jack Grealish’s £100million move to Manchester City and Romelu Lukaku’s £97.5million move to Chelsea.
      Meanwhile Manchester United have spent £73million on Jadon Sancho and an initial £34million on Raphael Varane that could rise to £42million with add-ons.
      Arsenal have also spent a combined £78million on Ben White, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nuno Tavares.
      And Nagelsmann has aimed a dig at Premier League clubs for their spending in what was supposed to be a low-key window following financial difficulties due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
      When asked whether Bayern would make any more signings, he said: “It is not easy to spend loads of money, we are not in the Premier League.
      “If it is possible then, perhaps, we will get in a new player. If not, it’s okay as well and we will work with the players that we have in our squad.”
      NO DEAL
      Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed Barcelona are NOT interested in signing Arsenal club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
      The 32-year-old missed Friday’s game against Brentford with a mystery illness, and has been linked with a move to Camp Nou.
      It’s been reported that Ronald Koeman’s side were interested in a potential swap deal that involved Aubameyang moving to Barcelona, and Camp Nou outcast Philippe Coutinho heading in the other direction.
      But Romano has put those rumours to bed, saying in a Tweet: “Barcelona have no interest in Pierre Aubameyang, confirmed – he’s not even a target for Barça, no swap deal with Philippe Coutinho.”
      TIME’S UP
      Barcelona’s patience with Samuel Umiti is reportedly wearing thin with the club rumoured to be ready to drop the axe on the France ace’s contract.
      Reports in Spain claim the Nou Camp giants are prepared to sack the centre-back should he continue to reject proposals to end his Barca spell.
      Spanish news outlet Sport claims the club have been unimpressed with the defender’s attitude in regard to a possible departure.
      The Les Bleus player has been linked with Benfica or a move back to Ligue One where he began his senior career with Lyon in 2016.
      FIVE STAR REVIEW
      Tammy Abraham has revealed former Chelsea men Antonio Rudiger and Emerson both gave him glowing reviews before the 23-year-old made the decision to sign for Roma.
      Both Rudiger and Emerson signed for the Blues from Roma, with Abraham now going the other way.
      And when asked on whether they had an influence in making his decision, Abraham told Roma’s website:
      “They [Antonio Rudiger and Emerson] loved everything, especially Toni Rudiger, he told me he would always play for Roma again.
      “Hearing it gave me confidence. As I said, I felt good from day one, I just have to do my best this season and help the team as much as possible.”
      ME$$I MONEY
      Michael Jordan has made £5million from Lionel Messi’s move to Paris Saint-Germain in just one week.
      Shirts sold out online in just half an hour, with queues weaving around the French capital the next morning as supporters desperately tried to get into the club shop.
      Incredibly, PSG have raked in £100m from Messi jersey sales in the past week.
      And NBA legend Jordan has been a huge beneficiary of that, raking in £5m for himself.
      The Jordan brand is the kit manufacturer of PSG.
      As part of their partnership, the US company takes home five per cent of all jersey sales.
      BLUE BE BACK
      Chelsea chief Marina Granovskaia has opened the door for Tammy Abraham’s return after inserting a £68million buy-back clause into his Roma transfer, ANTHONY CHAPMAN reports.
      Chelsea will be able to trigger a clause, starting from the summer of 2023, to re-sign Abraham for £68m – double his Roma transfer fee.
      She told Chelsea’s website: “Tammy will always be welcomed back at Stamford Bridge as one of our own.
      “We have all enjoyed watching his progress through our academy and into the first-team squad, and are grateful for his contribution to our successes at senior and youth level.
      “His many goals in a Chelsea shirt and, of course, his part in our Champions League triumph last season will never be forgotten.
      “I’m sure all Chelsea supporters will join me in wishing Tammy a long and successful career.”
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    • 238 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Borussia Dortmund 1-3 Bayern Munich LIVE RESULT: Lewandowski brace secures German Super Cup as hosts booed off by crowd

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      BAYERN MUNICH have won the German Super Cup against a Borussia Dortmund side who were their own worst enemies.On the stroke of half time, Robert Lewandowski was left unmarked to net a thumping header and give Bayern the lead.
      And an error from Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel allowed Thomas Muller to tap into an empty net on a night where both clubs united to remember his namesake, the late Gerd Muller.
      Borussia captain Marco Reus curled a brilliant strike into the top corner to give hope to a delighted home crowd but a mistake from Manuel Akani allowed Lewandowski to bag a brace and make it 3-1.
      When the final whistle went, Dortmund were booed off by the home crowd after a lacklustre display.
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      That’s all from us tonight as a Robert Lewandowski double and a goal from Thomas Muller secured a fifth German Super Cup in the last six seasons.
      Marco Reus scored an excellent goal for the hosts, but it was Bayern who always looked in control.
      Next up for Dortmund is a trip to Freiburg on Saturday in the Bundesliga, before they host Hoffenheim six days later once again in the league.
      Bayern Munich meanwhile host Koln on Sunday in the Bundesliga before travelling to Bremer SV on Wednesday night in the DFB Polkal first round.
      That’s all from us for now though.
      Thanks for joining us, it’s been a pleasure.
      WINNERS
      Robert Lewandowski lifts the German Super Cup trophy after his two goals helped Bayern Munich to a 3-1 victory over rivals Borussia Dortmund.

      DOMINATION
      Bayern Munich have now won FIVE out of the last six German Super Cups.
      A 2-0 Dortmund win in 2019 over Bayern is the only time the Munich side haven’t lifted the trophy in the last six years.
      They’re also bidding for a TENTH successive Bundesliga title this season as they look to continue their dominance in German football.
      TROPHY PRESENTATION
      The Bayern players step on to the podium to collect their medals.
      Captain Manuel Neuer is the last man up as he picks up the Super Cup trophy.
      He lifts it high into the air to the cheers of his teammates.
      Bayern Munich are the 2021 German Super Cup winners!
      FT: BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-3 BAYERN MUNICH
      The first trophy of the season goes to Bayern Munich, and Julian Nagelsmann has his first piece of silverware as manager of the Bavarian giants.
      Bayern went into the break 1-0 up before Thomas Muller scored early into the second half.
      Marco Reus made it 2-1 with a brilliant effort, and at that point it was game on.
      But Manuel Akanji gifted Bayern a third after his pass was charged down by Corentin Tolisso and fell to the feet of Robert Lewandowski.
      He had all the time in the world to compose himself and make it 3-1, effectively sealing the game with 15 minutes to play.
      Neither side were really at their best and there were sloppy errors from both sets of players with early season rust probably to blame.
      It’s Bayern Munich who come out on top though, and they win the 2021 German Super Cup.
      PEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
      THAT’S FULL TIME!
      BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-3 BAYERN MUNICH!
      BAYERN WIN THE GERMAN SUPER CUP!
      BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-3 BAYERN MUNICH
      93. Yellow card.
      Choupo-Moting goes into the book for a needless sliding tackle on Dahoud,
      Sixty seconds left to play in this one.
      BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-3 BAYERN MUNICH
      91. Dortmund have almost given up on this one.
      They’re just letting Bayern knocking the ball around, waiting for the final whistle.
      BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-3 BAYERN MUNICH
      90. The fourth official indicates four minutes of added time.
      BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-3 BAYERN MUNICH
      89. Kobel catches the corner and tries to release Haaland with a quick kick.
      He’s fouled as he releases it though so it will be a free kick.
      BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-3 BAYERN MUNICH
      88. Bayern corner.
      The Bundesliga champions are seeing this one out very professionally now.
      Tolisso forces a corner off Akanji and they’ve got the ball exactly where they want it.
      BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-3 BAYERN MUNICH
      87. Double change.
      Stanisic and Lewandowski are off for Bayern.
      They’re replaced by Sarr and Choupo-Moting.
      BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-3 BAYERN MUNICH
      86. Marco Reus is involved in some pushing and shoving for the second time in the match.
      This time it’s Corentin Tolisso who he has a disagreement with after Bayern win a corner.
      There’s not a whole lot in it though.
      BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-3 BAYERN MUNICH
      84. Passlack and Bellingham are replaced by Reinier and Wolf.
      Just over five minutes left to play in the German Super Cup.
      BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-3 BAYERN MUNICH
      83. Schulz whips the free kick into the box, but Lewandowski is back doing his defensive duties and heads the ball clear.
      Dortmund are readying another couple of changes here.
      BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-3 BAYERN MUNICH
      82. Dortmund free kick.
      Sane up-ends Malen and goes into the referee’s book.
      That’s an ugly challenge.
      BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-3 BAYERN MUNICH
      79. Erling Haaland goes up for a 50/50 with Manuel Neuer and leaves the Bayern keeper laid out on the deck.
      Neuer takes Haaland’s shoulder right to the body and goes down heavily.
      The referee blows for a Bayern free kick.
      BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-3 BAYERN MUNICH
      78. Dortmund substitution.
      Reyna is replaced by Pasalic for the final twelve minutes.
      AKANJI ERROR
      Here is that Manuel Akanji shocker that has gifted Robert Lewandowski his second, and Bayern’s third, of the game.

      BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-3 BAYERN MUNICH
      74. Manuel Akanji will not want to see that one again.
      He takes too long on the ball, and his pass out of defence is charged down by Tolisso.
      It bounces kindly into the path of Lewandowski, who finds himself one on one.
      And Lewandowski just does what Lewandowski does.
      He makes no mistakes, firing past Kobel for his second of the game.
      GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLL!
      THAT COULD BE GAME OVER!
      LEWANDOWSKI MAKES IT 3-1!
      BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-2 BAYERN MUNICH
      74. Bayern Munich will make those changes now.
      Thomas Muller and Serge Gnabry are being replaced by Corentin Tolisso and Jamal Musiala.
      BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-2 BAYERN MUNICH
      73. Neuer is off his line and safely gathers the cross before releasing Davies.
      The ball is nicely worked from back to front by Bayern and it’s played into Lewandowski on the edge of the box.
      He goes for goal, but drags his low effort wide of the mark.
      BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-2 BAYERN MUNICH
      72. Dortmund corner.
      The home side are knocking on the door here…
      BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-2 BAYERN MUNICH
      71. Just under twenty minutes to play in the German Super Cup.
      And this one is now wide open.
      Julian Nagelsmann is readying a couple of changes for Bayern.
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    • 238 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Tottenham vs Man City LIVE: Stream, TV channel, score, teams – Grealish starts brightly with Kane OUT for Spurs

      by

      TOTTENHAM are taking on Man City knowing star striker Harry Kane could soon be playing for their opponents.The England captain and City target is not in the squad today with a lack of fitness the official reason.
      Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola’s visitors have £100m England star Jack Grealish in the starting line-up.

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      TV channel: Sky Sports Premier League/Sky Sports Main Event.
      Live stream: Sky Go/Now TV
      Tottenham XI: Lloris, Tanganga, Sanchez, Dier, Reguilon, Skipp, Hojbjerg, Dele, Bergwijn, Lucas, Son
      Man City XI: Ederson, Cancelo, Dias, Ake, Mendy, Fernandinho, Gundogan, Grealish, Mahrez, Torres, Sterling

      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      35. Mahrez! Big chance! Wide!
      And on the subject of players you’d expect to do better that brings us to Riyad Mahrez.
      In fairness to the Algerian, Sterling’s cross in his direction bounces up off Tanganga, and starts to spin behind him as a result.
      Nevertheless, Mahrez is in plenty of space as he prepares his left foot, only to crash his effort well off target from close range.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      32. Spurs have had plenty of success on the counter against City in recent years, and almost add to the collection.
      Bergwijn and Son work the home side into a good position before the latter fails to take advantage of a cut on to his right foot.
      I dare say the Son of this time last season may have fared better in that situation.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      30. Grealish is fouled on the near touchline, right under the nose of Pep Guardiola.
      Initially, the City boss isn’t happy with the culprit, Sanchez, but after a few words, the pair exchange a heartwarming embrace. Aww.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      27. Lucas leaves Fernandinho looking every part of his 36 years as he tears through the City midfield.
      He eventually finds Son in the area, but the offside flag is quickly up – and that’s not a phrase I had to use often last season.
      There’s a breathless tempo to this contest.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      26. Tanganga and Sterling are still going at each other, so much so that Anthony Taylor calls them over for a chat.
      This is a battle to keep an eye on.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      24. Similar to Lloris at the other end, Ederson is unconvincing as he rushes off his line to claim an aerial ball.
      Sanchez beats the City goalkeeper to the action, and play drops kindly for Lucas to strike. The Brazilian’s volley is cleared off the line by the knee of Gundogan, and not his arm as suggested by thousands behind that goal.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      22. The corner comes to nothing as Sterling watches the ball travel through to safety.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      21. Mendy overplays in support of Grealish, and it prompts a quick Tottenham counter.
      The ball is worked left to Bergwijn, whose thumping shot is deflected behind for a corner.
      “Come on your Spurs!” chant the home fans.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      20. A run in behind from Torres almost catches out the hosts, only for Reguilon to come Tottenham’s rescue.
      City’s Spanish forward has got off to a lively start.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      18. Tanganga is already a favourite with the home crowd.
      He uses all his strength and athleticism to win the ball ahead of Sterling, and then shrug off his opponent, who is all over him.
      Eventually, Tanganga is awarded the free-kick to a huge roar from the Tottenham faithful.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      17. A steady spell from Spurs, who calm matters down through some neat passing from Hojberg and Skipp. They look a composed pair in midfield.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      15. Mendy gets the better of Lucas, and then Grealish teases Hojbjerg into a foul on the near touchline.
      The £100m midfielder has already won three free-kicks already.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      13. To give you an idea of City’s dominance so far, they’ve had 71% of possession and six touches in the opposition box in comparison to Spurs’ zero.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      12. City keep another short corner alive after Spurs mistakenly thought they had cleared their lines.
      Mahrez goes to work with some fancy footwork which leaves Dele on his backside, but he’s unable to follow up his run with a worthwhile cross and Lloris claims.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      10. Young Tanganga isn’t showing any respect to his illustrious opponents so far.
      The right-back has put in two hefty challenges on Sterling in the opening ten minutes.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      8. Martin Tyler understands that Harry Kane is in the stadium.
      The man has spies everywhere. I hope he was put to use during the Cold War.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      6. City are all over Spurs here.
      The home side fail to deal with a ball bouncing inside their box, allowing Cancelo to steal in and poke a shot wife.
      The visiting fans are in full voice, but almost all their songs are about Harry Kane: “He loves City blue!”
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      5. Close!
      City work the corner short to Mendy, who curls a cross into a packed penalty area.
      Lloris comes rushing off his line to punch, but doesn’t get that, and it’s left to Fernandinho to head wide of an unguarded net.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      4. Gundogan takes charge of the set-piece, and attempts a lifted curler over the wall towards the near post.
      It clips the top of Skipp’s head and diverts behind for a corner.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      3. An early glimpse of Grealish!
      The new Manchester City man picks up possession, and bursts beyond two Spurs players as he heads for the area.
      Before he can enter the box, however, he’s clipped by Skipp and brought crashing to the turf. Anthony Taylor says free-kick… inches outside of the area.

      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      2. A couple of early touches for Ake as Son threatens with a run over his shoulder.
      The City defender is in need of a confident display after finding himself at fault for Leicester’s winner at Wembley last weekend.
      SPURS 0-0 MAN CITY
      1. Referee Anthony Taylor blows his whistle, and both sets of players take the knee in the ongoing battle against racism, and all forms of discrimination.
      The gesture is applauded around the stadium, but just in case you needed reminding why it’s so important, here:

      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!GAME ON IN NORTH LONDON!
      HERE COME THE TEAMS!
      What a sound! How we’ve missed the roar of home supporters welcoming their team to the field and, if we’re honest, even the boos from Spurs fans for the initial arrival of the Manchester City players trigger some fond memories.
      Thousands of flags wave around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Hugo Lloris leads out the Londoners. The atmosphere is nothing short of astonishing.
      EXPENSIVE BENCH
      British transfer record signing Jack Grealish starts for Manchester City this afternoon, but there’s no shortage of other expensive talent among the visitors’ bench.
      Pep Guardiola has named nine substitutes including John Stones, Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus at a whopping total cost of £347m.
      Manchester City Bench: Steffen, Walker, Stones, Jesus, Zinchenko, Laporte, Rodri, De Bruyne, Bernardo
      Surely a Premier League record?
      Load more entries… More

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      PSG 4-2 Strasbourg LIVE RESULT: Mbappe leads Parisians to four-goal win in front of Messi despite being BOOED by fans

      by

      KYLIAN MBAPPE led PSG to a 4-2 victory over Strasbourg despite being booed by his own fans.The World Cup winner was given a frosty reception by the home crowd as speculation over a move to Real Madrid continues.
      Mauro Icardi headed the Parisians in front after just two minutes with a lengthy VAR review ruling the goal to be onside.
      And Mbappe then doubled the hosts’ lead with a deflected strike before setting up Julian Draxler for a third.
      But the visitors came back into the game in the second half through goals from Kevin Gameira and Ludovic Ajorque before Mbappe set up Pablo Sarabia to make the result safe
      Lionel Messi was not in the stands rather than on the pitch for today’s game, which came too soon after his Copa America exploits.
      THAT’S ALL FROM PARIS
      Paris Saint-Germain picked up a rather dramatic win over Strasbourg in their first home game of the season in front of Lionel Messi at Parc des Princes.
      PSG opened the scoring just after three minutes when Abdou Diallo’s beautiful cross from the left flank found Mauro Icardi, who caught Matz Sels out of position and beat him with a wonderful header.
      Kylian Mbappe doubled the hosts’ lead on 25 minutes after being jeered by the home crowd before kick-off as he has yet to pen a new deal with the French giants.
      Mbappe got the ball down the left wing and fired a shot that deflected off Ludovic Ajorque and caught Sels off guard.
      The France international turned from scorer to creator just a minute later when he provided a cross from the left flank and set Julian Draxler at the far post in front of open goal.
      Things got worse for Strasbourg boss Julien Stephan as he lost Jean-Eudes Aholou to injury.
      But the Coureurs refused to go quietly and put together a strong display in the opening minutes of the second half.
      Adrien Thomasson, who took Aholou’s place, delivered a pinpoint cross from the right area of the box and found Kevin Gameiro who beat Keylor Navas with a stunning header on 53 minutes.
      The visitors got back in the game just 11 minutes later when captain Dimitri Lienard delivered a brilliant ball from the left flank and found Ajorque, who bested Navas with a stunning header from the edge of the box.
      Strasbourg’s hopes of a late comeback died when Alexander Djiku was sent off with his second yellow card in just two minutes following a reckless challenge on Icardi.
      Mbappe put the game to rest with a beautiful run from the left flank that led to his second assist of the game as he set up Pablo Sarabia in front of open goal on 86 minutes
      GETTY IMAGES
      SARABIA REACTS
      Paris Saint-Germain ace Pablo Sarabia is pleased with the result but admitted his position in the starting line-up is at risk after Lionel Messi’s arrival despite his goal against Strasbourg.
      Sarabia told Canal+: “It was very important for us to win.
      “I am very happy for the team and for myself too. It’s good for confidence.
      “Now we have to keep improving. Everyone wants to play on this team, it will be difficult for everyone to play.
      “This goal is important for me because my situation is a bit difficult”
      GETTY IMAGES
      NEYMAR RETURN
      Neymar watched Paris Saint-Germain take on Strasbourg from the stands of Parc des Princes with former Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi.
      The Brazil international recently came back from an extended holiday following this summer’s Copa America.
      The star forward is among various players who have yet to return to full match fitness after taking part in the summer’s international competitions.
      The same goes for Leandro Paredes Angel Di Maria and Marquinhos as well as Marco Verratti and Gianluigi Donnarumma, who competed in Euro 2020.
      But Neymar should be fit sooner than Messi and we could probably see him on August 29 at Reims
      GETTY IMAGES
      MESSI DEBUT
      After Lionel Messi’s presentation, Paris Saint-Germain fans are counting down the seconds until his highly-anticipated debut.
      Messi admitted he will need time to adjust as he didn’t get any pre-season training following an extended holiday he took after he led Argentina to Copa America success.
      There is no set date for the star forward’s PSG debut but we can expect him to don the jersey for the first time either on August 29 at Reims or at home on September 12 against Clermont.
      The match against Brest away on August 20 might also be deemed too early for the six-time Ballon d’Or winner
      GETTY IMAGES
      UPDATED TABLE
      Paris Saint-Germain have climbed up to the top of the table of Ligue 1.
      PSG are alone in first place with two points ahead of Nice and Lorient.
      Strasbourg are last following two losses in their first two league matches.
      More below:

      STATS
      Paris Saint-Germain dominated 65 per cent of possession against Strasbourg.
      PSG registered a total of 11 shots, six of which were on target.
      The Coureurs, on the other hand, amassed a total of eight shots, two of which were on target.
      Both of the visitors’ efforts on target were Kevin Gameiro and Ludovic Ajorque’s goals as Keylor Navas didn’t make a single save, compared to Matz Sels who made two
      FT: PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 4-2 STRASBOURG
      Paris Saint-Germain picked up a rather stressful win over Strasbourg in their first home match of the season in front of Lionel Messi at Parc des Princes.
      PSG opened the scoring just after three minutes when Abdou Diallo’s pinpoint cross from the left flank found Mauro Icardi who caught Matz Sels out of position and beat him with a wonderful header.
      Kylian Mbappe doubled the hosts’ lead on 25 minutes after being booed by the home crowd before kick-off as he has yet to pen a new deal with the French giants.
      Mbappe got the ball down the left flank and fired a shot that deflected off Ludovic Ajorque and caught Sels off guard.
      The France international turned from scorer to creator just a minute later when he delivered a cross from the left flank and set Julian Draxler at the far post in front of open goal.
      Things got worse for Strasbourg manager Julien Stephan as he lost Jean-Eudes Aholou to an injury.
      But the Coureurs refused to go down quietly and put together a strong display in the opening minutes of the second half.
      Adrien Thomasson, who replaced Aholou, delivered a pinpoint cross from the right area of the box and found Kevin Gameiro who beat Keylor Navas with a stunning header on 53 minutes.
      The visitors got back in the game just 11 minutes later when captain Dimitri Lienard delivered a brilliant cross from the left flank and found Ajorque, who bested Navas with a stunning header from the edge of the box.
      Strasbourg’s hopes of a comeback died when Alexander Djiku was sent off with his second yellow card in just two minutes following a reckless challenge on Icardi.
      Mbappe put the game to rest with a beautiful run from the left flank that led to his second assist of the match as he set up Pablo Sarabia in front of open goal on 86 minutes
      GETTY IMAGES
      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
      THAT’S FULL-TIME IN PARIS!!!!!
      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 4-2 STRASBOURG
      90+4 CHANCE!
      PSG superstar Mbappe whips in a free-kick from 25m but just misses Sels’ crossbar
      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 4-2 STRASBOURG
      90+2 YELLOW CARD
      Strasbourg ace Bellegarde is booked for a heavy tackle on Kalimuendo
      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 4-2 STRASBOURG
      90 We’re into stoppage time and PSG are just happy to let the time roll.
      Strasbourg seem to have accepted their fate.
      Four more minutes to go
      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 4-2 STRASBOURG
      88 SUBSTITUTION
      PSG manager Pochettino introduces Kalimuendo, who takes Icardi’s place
      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 4-2 STRASBOURG
      88 WHAT A CHANCE!
      Strasbourg miss an unbelievable chance to get back into the ga,e.
      Diallo gives the ball away with a foolish back pass that Waris picks up.
      The Coureurs ace gets in front of Navas but sends the ball to his left sidenetting
      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 4-2 STRASBOURG
      86 PSG put the match to rest against a fighting Strasbourg side.
      Mbappe runs downt he left flank and whips in a ball through to the middle where Sarabia is unmarked after Djiku’s red card.
      The PSG star sends the ball to the back of the net in front of open goal

      GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!
      PSG SCORE WITH SARABIA!!!!!!!!!!!
      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 3-2 STRASBOURG
      85 PSG are taking their time as we approach full-time.
      Strasbourg seem like they are missing the important tools to score a third against the hosts
      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 3-2 STRASBOURG
      83 Strasbourg’s bid of a shock comeback has become even tougher!
      Lots of tired legs on the pitch and the Coureurs haven’t created any danger since Ajorque’s goal
      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 3-2 STRASBOURG
      81 RED CARD
      Strasbourg ace Djiku gets sent off for a challenge from behind on Icardi.
      The Coureurs defender was reckless there as he went hard on the PSG star with his hands.
      Two yellow cards in just two minutes for the defender!
      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 3-2 STRASBOURG
      80 Just 10 more minutes until full-time in Paris!
      PSG are trying to hold on to the ball as much as they can whereas Strasbourg haven’t shown anything after Ajorque’s goal
      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 3-2 STRASBOURG
      79 YELLOW CARD
      Strasbourg ace Djiku gets booked for a heavy challenge on Sarabia
      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 3-2 STRASBOURG
      77 Strasbourg manager Stephan makes another change after Prcic required one.
      The midfielder is replaced by Siby
      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 3-2 STRASBOURG
      76 SUBSTITUTION
      Strasbourg manager Stephan is making a rather peculiar double change…
      Gameiro and Ajorque come off and are replaced by Waris and Diallo respectively.
      Ajorque gave the two incoming players a short pep talk before coming on
      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 3-2 STRASBOURG
      75 PSG still hold possession but are struggling to create the same danger as they did in the first half.
      Got to wonder how tired Strasbourg’s leg are at the minute…
      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 3-2 STRASBOURG
      72 We seem to have missed an earlier substitution by Strasbourg.
      Manager Stephan replaced Fila with Caci
      PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 3-2 STRASBOURG
      70 SUBSTITUTION
      PSG manager Pochettino shakes things up with Sarabia replacing Draxler
      Load more entries… More

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      Chelsea 3-0 Crystal Palace LIVE RESULT: Trevoh Chalobah tears up after scoring first Blues goal in Premier League rout

      by

      CHELSEA are have made a statement against Crystal Palace as the Premier League returns.Marcos Alonso and Christian Pulisic netted in the first half for the Blues before Trevoh Chalobah scored a first ever goal for the Blues.
      And the 22-year-old teared up in celebration on his first league start at Stamford Bridge.
      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
      Stay up to date with all the latest from Stamford Bridge in our live blog…
      UPDATED TABLE
      Chelsea’s impressive Premier League opener has led them to second place in the table.
      The Blues are behind Manchester United, who thrashed Leeds 5-1 at Old Trafford.
      Crystal Palace are second to last ahead of Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
      More below:

      STATS
      Chelsea dominated 62 per cent of possession during a dominant display against Crystal Palace.
      The Blues registered a total of seven shots, six of which were on target.
      Palace, on the other hand only got three shots, one of which was on target.
      All of the Eagles’ efforts took place during the second half

      FT: CHELSEA 3-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      Chelsea kicked their Premier League campaign off with a decisive victory over Crystal Palace.
      The Blues opened the scoring on 27 minutes thanks to a stunning free-kick by Marcos Alonso just a few yards away from Palace’s box.
      The west Londoners doubled their lead just five minutes before half-time when Mason Mount’s low cross was parried away by Vicente Guaita and set Christian Pulisic up for his fifth goal in five league meetings against Palace.
      Chalobah sealed a dominant victory for Thomas Tuchel’s side with a long-range shot after 58 minutes.
      The 22-year-old defender became the second youngest player to score on his Chelsea debut after Paul Hughes
      GETTY IMAGES
      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
      THAT’S FULL-TIME IN CHELSEA!!!!!!
      CHELSEA 3-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      90 Just two more minutes of stoppage time to go at Stamford Bridge.
      A brilliant and mostly comfortable start to the season for Chelsea shortly after winning the European Super Cup
      CHELSEA 3-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      88 Chelsea fans are chanting, “You are going down with the Arsenal”.
      The chant is mostly directed to Vieira due to his Gunners past, but the Palce manager will have a lot to work on after today’s Premier League opener
      CHELSEA 3-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      86 SUBSTITUTION
      Chelsea boss Tuchel introduces Emerson, who replaces Alonso.
      The Spain international has been brilliant today and the home crowd is letting him know about it
      CHELSEA 3-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      83 We can expect Chelsea manager Tuchel to make some late changes in order to freeze the tempo of the match.
      But the Blues are proving to be more than capable of scoring a fourth goal
      CHELSEA 3-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      80 We are slowly reaching full-time at Stamford Bridge.
      Chelsea still hold on with some rock-solid defending and Chalobah standing out with his runs up front.
      The Blues’ midfield trio has also been stunning, thanks mainly to Jorginho
      CHELSEA 3-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      80 We are slowly reaching full-time at Stamford Bridge.
      Chelsea still hold on with some rock-solid defending and Chalobah standing out with his runs up front.
      The Blues’ midfield trio has also been stunning, thanks mainly to Jorginho
      CHELSEA 3-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      77 SUBSTITUTION
      Palace boss Vieira is shaking things up with Rak-Sakyi replacing Riedewald
      CHELSEA 3-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      75 Perhaps it’s now time for Chelsea manager Tuchel to start pulling out his best players and save them for next week.
      Palace aren’t showing enough teeth and it’s safe to say the Blues are leaving with the win
      CHELSEA 3-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      73 If the game wasn’t over after Pulisic’s goal just before half-time then it seems to be done and dusted now.
      The Blues are taking it easy and trying to make sure they leave with a clean sheet.
      Not much from Palace still
      CHELSEA 3-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      70 Chalobah is playing with immense confidence as he continues moving forward and pushing Chelsea to a fourth.
      The defender is also showing some strong lungs as he is never caught out of position when Palace try to counter.
      The home fans are loving this! Are we seeing a new Stamford Bridge hero in the making?
      CHELSEA 3-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      67 SUBSTITUTION
      Chelsea manager Tuchel makes his first change of the match.
      James replaces Blues captain Azpilicueta, the formation is probably staying the same…
      CHELSEA 3-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      66 CHANCE
      Chalobah has been superb today for Chelsea as he inspires tremendous confidence in defence and didn’t get bullied by any of Palace’s more experienced players.
      The defender almost gets an assist there as he finds Werner up front with a wonderful pass.
      But the German completely misses the target
      CHELSEA 3-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      65 Chalobah has officially made history for Chelsea after his beautiful goal against Crystal Palace.
      The defender is now the second youngest player to score on his Premier League debut for the Blues after Paul Hughes
      22 – At 22 years and 40 days, Trevoh Chalobah is the second youngest player to score on his Premier League debut for @ChelseaFC, after Paul Hughes in January 1997 (20yy 274d). Composed. #CHECRY— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 14, 2021

      CHELSEA 3-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      63 Chalobah’s stunner marked a very emotional moment in his career.
      Out of nowhere, the young defender officially introduces himself to the Chelsea faithful in his home debut
      GETY IMAGES
      GETTY IMAGES

      CHELSEA 3-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      60 Chalobah couldn’t hold back his tears after that wonderful goal!
      This means the world for the young defender, who is making a strong case for Tuchel’s starting line-up!
      CHELSEA 3-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      58 What a goal out of nowhere!
      Chalobah moves forward and gets the ball with plenty of space ahead of him.
      The young defender doesn’t have many options so he tries a long-range shot that ends up in Guaita’s bottom right corner!
      What a marvellous shot from the 22-year-old on his home debut!

      GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!
      CHEALSEA MAKE IT THREE WITH CHALOBAH!!!!!!
      CHELSEA 2-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      56 SUBSTITUTION
      Palace manager Vieira is looking for some solutions from the bench and has introduced Andersen and Benteke.
      They replace Schlupp and Mateta respectively
      CHELSEA 2-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      55 That is exactly what Palace needs!
      A good chance often snowballs into more opportunities to score, and maybe a goal.
      Let’s see if the Eagles can build some momentum…
      CHELSEA 2-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      53 CHANCE
      Here we go! Palace are showing some teeth!
      Ayew plays in Zaha on the right-hand side of the area but his low effort is blocked by a spectacular tackle from Rudiger,
      Schlupp gets a wonderful shot from the resulting corner-kick but misses the target.
      Much better by the visitors!
      CHELSEA 2-0 CRYSTAL PALACE
      53 These are the solutions that Palace manager Vieira could use from the bench after a hapless first half:
      Butland, Andersen, Clyne, Kelly, Hannam, Rak-Sakyi, Banks, Street, Benteke
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      Man Utd vs Leeds LIVE SCORE: Bruno’s second and Greenwood give comfort after Ayling screamer – stream FREE, TV channel

      by

      MANCHESTER UNITED are FLYING at home to rivals Leeds with Bruno Fernandes landing a magnificent hat-trick. Paul Pogba, meanwhile, has provided FOUR assists an opening day goal fest.
      Luke Ayling thought he had got Leeds back into the game with a screamer from outside the box to equalise.
      But goals from Mason Greenwood, Fred and brilliant Bruno have given the Red Devils comfort, before Jadon Sancho was on for his United debut.
      Meanwhile United have confirmed the signing of Raphael Varane from Real Madrid is COMPLETED, with the defender paraded on the Old Trafford pitch.
      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
      Stay up to date with all the latest from Old Trafford in our live blog,…
      FT: MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
      New signing Raphael Varane was unveiled to much fanfare at Old Trafford before kick-off, giving the crowd a boost as it was revealed the centre-back will wear the number 19 for the Red Devils this season.
      Credit: EPA
      After a hugely entertaining and high-tempo first half, the Red Devils deservedly led 1-0 thanks to a well-worked Bruno Fernandes goal.
      Leeds got themselves back in with a chance of claiming all three points after Luke Ayling equalised with an absolute stunner shortly after half-time.
      Credit: Reuters
      But the home side restored their lead when Mason Greenwood slotted home a neat finish from a free-flowing Man Utd counter-attacking move.
      Leeds didn’t know what hit them as Bruno Fernandes made it 3-1 just two minutes later and then sealed his hat-trick to make it 4-1 on the hour mark, as the Reds scored three goals in eight minutes.
      Credit: Getty
      Fred then polished off Man Utd’s five-star performance with a tidy finish from inside the box to seal the victory and take the game away from the visitors. United’s fifth goal and Pogba’s fourth assist.
      The home fans were then treated to their first glimpse of Jadon Sancho at Old Trafford as the winger was introduced after 75 minutes, with long-term absentee Anthony Martial also making his return.
      Credit: AP
      Solskjaer’s side comfortably saw out their 5-1 victory over Leeds to make a huge statement of intent to their fellow title challengers.
      His side mean business and look like genuine contenders for the Premier League crown this season. They face Southampton away next Sunday and will go into the match with supreme confidence.
      Credit: Getty
      Meanwhile Leeds will look to dust themselves off and go again as they take on Everton at Elland Road next Saturday. They’ll hope to get themselves back on track after a disappointing start to their campaign.
      That’s all from us for today! Thanks for keeping up with our live coverage of Man Utd vs Leeds at Old Trafford in the opening weekend of the new Premier League season.
      We hope you enjoyed that one as much as we did. See you next time.

      BAD MOOD BIELSA
      The Leeds boss was his usual cagey self in his post-match media duties and admitted that his side were ultimately outclassed on the day and will have to pick themselves up before they face Everton next weekend.
      To have lost the way we lost, can’t be described just as a blip…Marcelo Bielsa

      STONE COLD STUNNER
      Leeds’ goalscorer Luke Ayling was understandably disappointed after his side’s thrashing but spoke of their need for Leeds to learn from the experience and bounce back at Elland Road next week.
      We had a really poor five minutes which cost us the game…Luke Ayling

      ICE-MAN
      Victor Lindelof showed Solskjaer and United fans why he shouldn’t be cast aside too quickly in favour of the Raphael Varane with an extremely impressive performance today, capped with a superb assist.
      Victor Lindelöf’s game by numbers vs. Leeds United:100% aerials won 80% pass accuracy 5 clearances 4 ball recoveries 3 passes into the box 1 assist Excellent distribution from deep. 🇸🇪 pic.twitter.com/wXARTM5a9v— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) August 14, 2021

      SHOULD POG-STAY OR SHOULD POG-GO?
      Paul Pogba today became the seventh player in Premier League history to assist four goals in a single game, after Dennis Bergkamp, José Antonio Reyes, Cesc Fàbregas, Emmanuel Adebayor, Santi Cazorla and Harry Kane.
      The mercurial midfield man has just one year left on his deal and has yet to commit his future to Old Trafford amid reported interest from PSG.
      Credit: Reuters
      MAKING HISTORY
      Since his competition debut in February 2020, Bruno Fernandes has been directly involved in 48 Premier League goals (29 goals, 19 assists), four more than any other player in this time.
      He has also become the first Manchester United player to score a hat-trick on the opening day of a league season since Lou Macari vs Birmingham in 1977-78.
      Portuguese magnifico.
      Credit: Getty
      OLE GUNNAR WIN IT
      Man United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer spoke to the BT Sport pundits after full-time about his side’s performance and the depth they have added to their squad with the signings of Sancho and Varane.
      This is the way I want to see my team playOle Gunnar Solskjaer

      DYNAMIC DUO
      Bruno Fernandes and Mason Greenwood spoke to Des Kelly on BT Sport in front of a particularly noisy section of Man Utd fans belting out Bruno’s song after full-time…
      We will accomplish something with this mentalityBruno Fernandes
      “My achievement every season is being better than the last one.””This season we have to for sure be better than last season.””We will accomplish something with this mentality.” 🎙 Man of the Match Bruno Fernandes and Mason Greenwood catch up with @TheDesKelly… pic.twitter.com/nnxsjhw9SM— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) August 14, 2021

      ABSOLUTE SCENES
      Old Trafford erupted at full-time in appreciation of the home side’s five-star performance, demolishing Leeds and making a big statement to their title rivals that they mean business.
      FT: Man Utd 5-1 Leeds The crowd are loving every single moment of this! 😍The Red Devils have put on a show in front of the Old Trafford faithful 👌 pic.twitter.com/qBhqkehhmZ— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) August 14, 2021

      POG-BACK
      The French midfielder was all over the pitch for Man Utd today, but produced his best football coming in off the left and getting on the ball in attacking positions.
      Solskjaer evidently prefers to play two more defensive minded midfielders in a double pivot, whilst playing Pogba higher up the pitch gives him the freedom to create, as he did today.
      The number 6 was instrumental for Man Utd today and Solskjaer will surely be keen to tie his man down on a new long-term deal.

      FT: MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
      OLE BALL
      5-1 win. Hat-trick for Bruno Fernandes. Four assists for Paul Pogba. A debut from Jadon Sancho. The unveiling of Raphael Varane. Not a bad day at the office for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
      Credit: Getty
      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!
      FULL-TIME.
      MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
      MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
      93. PENALTY SHOUT!
      Roberts goes tumbling over in the penalty area after a slight collision with Maguire. It’s one that could go either way, but the Man Utd captain gets the benefit of the doubt from Paul Tierney.
      MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
      89. A difficult day for Leeds, who didn’t have a bad first half and looked like they were in for a good fight in the second half after an outrageous goal from Luke Ayling at the start of the second period.
      Three goals in eight second half minutes for the Reds put the game to bed and the final goal from Fred put the icing on the cake.
      Leeds haven’t really been able to carve out a chance in this second half, bar the Raphinha miss.
      MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
      87. Hat-trick hero Bruno Fernandes is awarded BT Sport’s Man of the Match award after a sublime performance today.
      Any doubters as to whether the attacker would continue his form from last season have been well and truly silenced.
      Credit: PA
      MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
      CHANCE!
      85. Raphina is clean through on goal and his game is summed up as he fires wide from just inside the area as he’s one on one with De Gea.
      He was played through wonderfully by Helder Costa and should have made it 5-2.
      Credit: Reuters
      MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
      83. The game has slowed a bit as Leeds look to ensure their losing margin is not increased.
      The home side are building patiently, but give the ball away in the middle of the park.
      MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
      81. Sancho has gone out wide left and Anthony Martial is playing through the middle. Greenwood is out on the right flank.
      YELLOW CARD!
      Shaw arrives late and goes through the back of Raphinha and earns himself a yellow card.
      MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
      79. Leeds get a free-kick in a good attacking position after Luke Shaw fouls Helder Costa on the right flank.
      It’s delivered by Raphina and it’s not a bad ball, but is dealt with well by Maguire.
      The ball falls to Helder Costa on the half volley just outside the area but he sends it miles over the bar.
      That sums up Leeds’ afternoon really.
      MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
      76. The sting has been taken out of the game quite a bit since the fifth goal by the flurry of substitutions but there’s still just under a quarter of an hour for the subs to make an impact on the game.
      MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
      75. LEEDS SUBSTITUTION:
      OFF: Patrick Bamford.
      ON: Tyler Roberts.
      MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
      74. MAN UTD SUBSTITUTIONS:
      OFF: Paul Pogba, Dan James.
      ON: Jadon Sancho, Anthony Martial.
      The £73m signing makes his debut for Man Utd and gets a huge roar of encouragement from the home fans.
      Credit: AFP
      MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
      73. CHANCE!
      Greenwood has a shot from just outside the box and it goes narrowly wide. Not a bad effort from the youngster.
      Cue the substitutions…
      MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
      70. Jadon Sancho had just started warming up to a huge roar of appreciation from the Man Utd fans before the fifth goal.
      It looks like Anthony Martial could also come on for his first Premier League appearance in five months.
      Credit: Getty
      MAN UTD 5-1 LEEDS
      69. LEEDS SUBSTITUTION:
      OFF: Jack Harrison.
      ON: Helder Costa.
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      Brentford 2 Arsenal 0 LIVE REACTION: Gunners embarrassed by Prem newboys as Canos and Norgaard give Bees dream win

      by

      THE new Premier League season is underway – and Brentford have got off to the perfect start.After 74 years away, the Bees stunned Arsenal thanks to goals from Sergi Canos and Christian Norgaard.

      Final score: Brentford 2-0 Arsenal

      Follow ALL the reaction with our live blog below…

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      THAT’S ALL FOR TONIGHT
      The Premier League is back with a BUZZ!
      Brentford fly up to the top of the Premier League table after the 2-0 win over Arsenal.
      Massive weekend of top-flight action, and we have you covered here at SunSport.
      We’re covering Man Utd vs Leeds and Chelsea vs Crystal Palace tomorrow.
      And on Sunday, we’ve got you covered for Tottenham vs Man City.
      Goodnight!
      WHAT A BUZZ
      Mikel Arteta won’t be getting sacked in the morning as the gloating Brentford fans predicted, writes MARK IRWIN.
      But the Arsenal boss is treading on increasingly thin ice after a disastrous start to this make-or-break season.
      And the bad news for the shell-shocked Spaniard is that things could be about to get a  whole lot worse.
      Because if he thought that losing to a Brentford team making their first top-flight appearance since 1947 was as bad as it could get, he ain’t seen nothing yet.
      Read More: Brentford 2-0 Arsenal Match Report
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      FT STATS: BRENTFORD 2-0 ARSENAL
      Arsenal had all the possession but couldn’t find the back of the net.

      HISTORY-MAKERS
      Tonight’s result had Brentford fans in tears!

      FT: BRENTFORD 2-0 ARSENAL
      Arsenal started the second half bright, but were again toothless up front.
      Balogun failed to have an impact on the game, he had very little support from his team-mates.
      Brentford doubled their lead in the 73rd minute.
      Sorensen launched a long throw into Arsenal’s penalty box – Mari, Leno, Chambers and White failed to deal with it and let it bounce.
      Norgaard charged in and powered the header home to double Brentford’s lead.
      Arsenal failed to respond and they’re defeated on the opening game of the season.
      The atmosphere inside the Community Stadium is electric, fans are in tears….. the Premier League is back!
      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
      BRENTFORD GET OFF TO A FAIRYTALE START!
      THE BEES HAVE BEATEN ARSENAL!
      BRENTFORD 2-0 ARSENAL
      90+3. The crowd are whistling, they want the referee to blow the full-time whistle.
      BRENTFORD 2-0 ARSENAL
      90. Fourth official Mike Dean holds his board up and there will be FIVE additional minutes played!
      BRENTFORD 2-0 ARSENAL
      87. SUBSTITUTION!
      Mbuemo – arguably Man of the Match – goes off to a standing ovation.
      And he is replaced by Finnish striker Forss.
      BRENTFORD 2-0 ARSENAL
      87. SAVE!
      Smith Rowe carves Brentford’s backline open and plays the ball wide to Tierney on the overlap.
      The left-back cuts the ball back towards the penalty spot.
      An unmarked Pepe gets a powerful shot off on goal, but Raya tips the ball round the post!
      BRENTFORD 2-0 ARSENAL
      86. JUST WIDE!
      A good spell of Arsenal possession finds its way to Xhaka 35 yards from goal.
      The Arsenal captain takes a touch and sends a blistering effort towards goal with his second.
      But his shot goes agonisingly wide of the post!
      BRENTFORD 2-0 ARSENAL
      85. Tierney drives a cross into Brentford’s penalty area looking to find Nelson.
      But the ball deflects behind for a corner.
      BRENTFORD 2-0 ARSENAL
      84. Arsenal fans have seen enough and some of them are heading towards the exit.
      BRENTFORD 2-0 ARSENAL
      82. Eight minutes left at the Brentford Community Stadium and the hosts have a two-goal lead.
      Arsenal haven’t really threatened Raya’s goal.
      BRENTFORD 2-0 ARSENAL
      80. SUBSTITUTION!
      Chambers’ night is over and summer signing Tavares will come on for his Premier League debut.
      Tavares will operate at right-back for the rest of the night.
      BRENTFORD 2-0 ARSENAL
      77. SUBSTITUTION!
      Summer signing Onyeka’s night comes to an end, and he is replaced by Bidstrup.
      Nothing left in the tank for Frank.
      Norgaard doubles Brentford’s leadCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      Arsenal were stunned from a long throwCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      BRENTFORD 2-0 ARSENAL
      75. Brentford are on course for the perfect start to their Premier League campaign.
      BRENTFORD 2-0 ARSENAL
      73. Sorensen goes long with a throw-in deep inside Arsenal’s half.
      Mari, White and Chambers fail to clear the ball and let it bounce up for Norgaard.
      And the Brentford No6 steers his header into the back of the net to double Brentford’s lead!
      New season, same old Arsenal.
      GOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLL!!!
      NORGAARD DOUBLES BRENTFORD’S LEAD!!!
      UNREAL SCENES!!!
      BRENTFORD 1-0 ARSENAL
      71. SUBSTITUTION!
      Both teams decide to make a change.
      Nelson is on for Arsenal, replacing winger Martinelli, and for Brentford Sorensen is on for summer signing Ajer.
      BRENTFORD 1-0 ARSENAL
      69. CHANCE!
      Chambers receives the ball on the overlap and delivers a floated cross towards the far post.
      Xhaka charges the ball down and get a shot off.
      But he can’t control his effort and sends his shot sailing over the crossbar!
      BRENTFORD 1-0 ARSENAL
      67. Toney wins another flick-on against White and the ball falls to Janelt in an advanced position.
      The holding midfielder then lays the ball off to Mbuemo in acres of space.
      The Frenchman gets a low shot off hoping to beat Leno at his far post, but the German saves!
      The linesman then puts his flag up for offside, allowing the passage of play to come to an end.
      BRENTFORD 1-0 ARSENAL
      66. SAVE!
      Canos drives at Arsenal once again, and tries to lose his marker with some stepovers.
      The Spaniard gets a shot off on his right foot but Leno saves!
      BRENTFORD 1-0 ARSENAL
      65. CHANCE!
      Martinelli manages to get away from Toney and makes a darting run towards the near post.
      The Brazilian Olympic gold medal winner gets his head on the corner.
      But his effort flashes wide of the far post!
      Load more entries… More

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      Lukaku set to complete Chelsea transfer, Blues target Kounde up for sale, Messi joins PSG LATEST – updates

      by

      LIONEL MESSI has been speaking to the media as a PSG player after taking the No30 shirt in Paris.The Argentinian star has been pictured in his new kit as the Ligue 1 side confirm the signing of arguably the greatest player of all time.
      Messi has signed a two-year deal, with an option for a further 12 months.
      Meanwhile Romelu Lukaku’s move to Chelsea is a done deal, with the Belgian forward in London to complete the move.
      And Jules Kounde could be back on the agenda for the Blues, with Sevilla confirming they will sell the defender for the right price.

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      Follow ALL of the latest news and updates below…
      NO WILL TO LEAVE
      Joe Willock and Newcastle have not yet reached an agreement on personal terms after the Gunners agreed an initial £22million fee for the 21-year-old.
      That’s according to Sky Sports, who claim Willock and the Magpies are “a distance apart on agreeing personal terms” with the midfielder unsure on a permanent move.
      Willock scored eight goals in 14 games while on loan for the Magpies in the second half of last season, and also became the youngest player to score in seven consecutive games.
      The Gunners are willing to move Willock on permanently to free up funds for further transfers, but the player himself is not convinced by a move away from his boyhood club.
      OUT OF THE RACE
      Arsenal will not sign Manuel Locatelli from Juventus, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
      The Italian midfielder is instead likely to join Juventus, who he has been strongly linked with all summer.
      The Gunners have now pulled out of the race for the 23-year-old after being linked with him in recent weeks, with Locatelli said to prefer a move to Turin.
      Juventus will meet again Sassuolo board this week to sign Locatelli – new official bid to be submitted. Arsenal no longer in the race. Miralem Pjanic, always in Juventus list too ⚪️⚫️ #JuveJuventus board will meet again with Dybala agent in the next days to extend his contract.— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 11, 2021

      HODDLE HAS HIGH HOPES
      And former Chelsea manager Hoddle believes the ex-Everton frontman Lukaku will enable current boss Tuchel to mould the team his way.
      One-time Spurs chief and England playmaker Hoddle said: “I think it’s just exactly what Tuchel wants and what the team want.
      “I always felt they lacked a little bit of a focal point and that’s what Lukaku will do.
      “He’s 28 now, he’s hitting his peak. He’s got a fabulous goal-scoring record anyway.”
      RIO RATES ROM
      Rio Ferdinand and Glenn Hoddle claim Romelu Lukaku will be Chelsea’s “mouthwatering focal point” – as the perfect striker for Thomas Tuchel’s tactics IAN TUCKEY reports.
      Old Trafford legend Ferdinand said: “One thing for certain is that he will be the focal point now for this Chelsea attack.
      “They have some fantastic talent up there, an array of talent, they have so many weapons now and I think he’ll be the mainstay.
      “Everybody else will be moved about around him but he’ll be the person they look to.
      “I am really interested to see how Werner and Havertz feed off him, Mount, giving him the ball, Pulisic and Ziyech.
      “It’s going to be mouthwatering. I’d love to watch training.”
      ‘THERE’S NO LAW’
      Lille defender Jose Fonte has slammed Paris Saint-Germain and the Financial Fair Play regulations after watching the Ligue 1 side’s summer transfer business, DYLAN TERRY reports.
      Speaking to talkSPORT, he said: “I just want to understand the Financial Fair Play in France.
      “Every single club is restricting their spending. They can’t buy a lot, they can’t get players on big wages but then PSG comes and it looks like there’s no law.
      “Everyone had to tighten the budget at Lille, some players had to reduce their wages.
      “Then you come to PSG and you see Donnarumma, Ramos, Wijnaldum signing.
      “All these players are coming for big, big wages and they already have lots of players that have incredible wages.”
      ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS
      Sergio Ramos has taken to Instagram to welcome former rival Lionel Messi to PSG.
      Ramos, who arrived at PSG from Real Madrid this summer, played against former Barca man Messi 45 TIMES in El Clasico clashes.
      And he’s poked fun at his new teammate, as his post translates as: “Who was going to tell us, right?” before tagging Lionel Messi.

      PERSONAL TERMS AGREED
      Xherdan Shaqiri has agreed personal terms with Lyon, according to L’Equipe.
      Liverpool and Lyon are yet to agree over a transfer fee, with the Reds holding out for around £7million.
      The French club are said to have had an offer worth around £3.4million turned down, but a deal seems inevitable.
      The 29-year-old is eager to move on in order to get more first team action, with minutes hard to come by for the Switzerland international at Anfield in the last couple of seasons.
      LOOKING AT LORENZO
      Inter are keen to reinvest the £97.5million they’re set to receive for Romelu Lukaku by making a move for Napoli captain and Euro 2020 winner Lorenzo Insigne.
      That’s according to Sky Sport Italia, who are reporting that he could leave for as little as £25-30million, after failing to agree a new contract with his boyhood club.
      The 30-year-old scored 19 times and provided 11 assists in 48 games for Napoli last season, and has played a whopping 397 times for the club.
      Lazio are also said to be interested in his signature.

      ROM THE RECORD HOLDER
      Ex-Manchester United man Romelu Lukaku set to become the most expensive player in history in accumulated transfer fees once his move to Chelsea is confirmed.
      The £97.5million paid to Inter Milan will see his total transfer fees rocket to almost £300million.
      And it means he will have cost the most in joint transfers ever, surpassing Neymar’s prior record of £246.6m.

      FREEING UP FUNDS
      Ike Ugbo and Tammy Abraham can take Chelsea’s summer sales to £102million to fund the £97.5m return of fellow striker Romelu Lukaku, IAN TUCKEY reports.
      Genk are closing on a £4m deal for 22-year-old Ugbo, despite interest from Fulham, Watford, Monaco and Anderlecht.
      And Chelsea have accepted Roma’s £34m offer for England star Abraham, 23, although the Arsenal target has yet to agree personal terms.
      The Blues have already made £64m from offloading TWENTY-FIVE PLAYERS since June.
      Two centre-backs dominate the incoming fees – Fikayo Tomori’s £27m exit to AC Milan and Crystal Palace paying £21m for Marc Guehi.
      But the biggest names to depart are £9m frontman Olivier Giroud, who also joined Milan, and Victor Moses, a £4.4m recruit for Spartak Moscow.
      TRUMP CARD
      Tottenham have the upper hand over Arsenal when it comes to the signing of Lautaro Martinez in the form of midfielder Giovanni Lo Celso.
      That’s reported by football.london, who claim Martinez would rather a move to Spurs as it would see him link up with his Argentina teammate.
      But with Romelu Lukaku set to be unveiled as a Chelsea player in a matter of hours, Inter are reluctant to lose both of their star man.
      That’s despite reports last week suggesting Spurs had agreed a £60million deal for the 23-year-old striker.
      However with Edin Dzeko on his way to Milan the Nerazzurri could yet part ways with both of their star strikers.
      MBAPPE-XIT?
      Kylian Mbappe wants to LEAVE PSG, according to journalist Thibaud Vezirian.
      The 22-year-old is into the final twelve months of his contract at the Parc des Princes, and is not bothered about playing with Lionel Messi.
      The French giants may now be forced to cash in on him this summer before he’s able to leave on a free in a year’s time.
      And Vezirian reports Real Madrid are the frontrunners for Mbappe’s signature.
      WOW!
      MESSI SCENES
      And in case you missed these pictures earlier, these were the scenes outside the Parc des Princes this morning as Lionel Messi was unveiled to the PSG faithful.

      IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
      Romelu Lukaku LANDED at London Biggin Hill Airport earlier this evening ahead of his £97.5million transfer to Chelsea.
      In a video shared and validated by Sky Sports journalist Fabrizio Romano, Lukaku can be seen arriving in London via a private jet.
      The official announcement of his move to Chelsea is expected in the coming days.
      Romelu Lukaku has just landed at Biggin Hill airport some minutes ago. This video is real and confirmed, Romelu is now in London to complete his move to Chelsea. 🔵🛬 #CFC🎥👇🏻 [chelseapulse] pic.twitter.com/ZkofTTrT3y— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 11, 2021

      EAGLES BACKING
      American virtual reality bigwig John Textor has pumped nearly £90million into Crystal Palace to help fund new boss Patrick Vieira’s rebuilding job, CLIFF HAYES reports.
      Textor bought a minority stake in the Premier League club this summer.
      He joins chairman Steve Parish and fellow Americans Josh Harris and David Blitzer on the board.
      Textor is the Florida-based founder of virtual entertainment company Facebank.
      And he has already helped Vieira land midfielder Michael Olise plus defenders Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen.
      Their combined transfer fees total more than £40m.
      EYES ON ISMAILA
      Tottenham are reportedly keen on signing Watford winger Ismaila Sarr.
      That’s according to Eurosport, who also state that Aston Villa and Liverpool are monitoring the 23-year-olds availability.
      The Senegalese international has scored 19 goals and provided 16 assists in 70 games for Watford, and did not look out of place in the Premier League two seasons ago in the Hornets’ eventual relegation campaign.
      Watford are back in the Premier League this season after bouncing straight back up from the Championship, but they may be without their star man when the transfer window closes on August 31.

      GRAY’S IMPROVEMENTS
      New Everton signing Demarai Gray has praised new boss Rafa Benitez, saying the Spanish manager is already helping him improve.
      He told evertonfc.com “I don’t think there’s been a training session yet where Rafa hasn’t told me something I can improve.
      “But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
      “I don’t want to be told what I am good at – everyone knows what they are good at.
      “I want to be told what I can work on.”
      NEW SURROUNDINGS
      The PSG Twitter account has been on overdrive in the last 24 hours since Lionel Messi’s arrival in France.
      And here’s another post from them, as Lionel Messi gets used to his new surroundings in the Parc des Princes home dressing room.

      FOXES FOFANA REPLACEMENT
      Leicester have agreed a deal with Southampton for Danish centre-back Jannik Vestergaard, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
      The Foxes have dipped into the market for a new defender after Wesley Fofana’s horror leg break, and the 29-year-old is the man they’ve found.
      The clubs have reportedly agreed a £15million fee, with the Saints being forced into cash in for a cut-price fee with the defender in the final twelve months of his contract at St.Mary’s
      Jannik Vestergaard set to join to Leicester, agreement reached and here-we-go soon. Deal now in place with Southampton as @mcgrathmike confirmed. 🔵 #LCFCHe’ll be Wesley Fofana replacement after injury. Personal terms to be agreed soon. ⌛️🦊 https://t.co/QZI7RSHREl— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 11, 2021

      TANG-OUT OF THERE
      Tanguy Ndombele is ‘weighing up his options’ as he considers his Tottenham future, JOSHUA JONES reports.
      The midfielder, 24, did not feature for a single minute across the five pre-season matches.
      To make matters worse for him, two of his closest friends at Tottenham, Moussa Sissoko and Serge Aurier, could both be on their way out of the club.
      The problem for Ndombele and Tottenham, though, is that Spurs splashed out a massive record fee for him just two years ago.
      And they tied him down to a six-year contract until 2025 worth £200,000 per week.
      That is likely to price out most potential suitors.
      POLE POSITION
      AC Milan are leading the race for highly rated Bordeaux man Yacine Adli in a £10million deal, ahead of Arsenal and Spurs.
      The 21-year-old midfielder is a product of the PSG academy, but made the move to Bordeaux from the French capital in 2019 for a £5million fee after making just one professional appearance at the Parc des Princes.
      Since then he’s played 69 times for Bordeaux, scoring five goals and notching eight assists in his time so far in South West France.
      Bordeaux President Lopez told RMC Sport :”It is true that there is interest from Milan.
      “We are discussing it. It’s not wrong to say that Milan are interested and in a good position. We’re talking and will see if this transfer will go through or not over the next few days.”

      CUTRONE OFF
      Patrick Cutrone is set for a third loan spell away from Wolves.
      That’s according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who reports that Cutrone is set to join Italian side Empoli on loan.
      The 23-year-old has failed to find his feet since moving to the West Midlands from AC Milan in 2019.
      The Italian spent the first half of last season on loan at Fiorentina, and then the second part at Valencia.
      And now he’s set to join Serie A newboys Empoli, with the striker not in the plans of new boss Bruno Lage.
      DUSAN DEADLINE
      Arsenal and Tottenham have been given an August 15 deadline by Fiorentina to sign Dusan Vlahovic, according to Corriere dello Sport.
      The report states that if the Serbian striker is still in Italy on that day, he will remain a remain a Fiorentina player.
      The 21-year-old is valued at around £50million by Calciomercato, with Spurs desperate to bring in a new striker should Harry Kane leave the club.
      Arsenal meanwhile are on the search for a new frontman as Alexandre Lacazette enters the final year of his contract at the Emirates.
      The Gunners are willing to listen to offers of around £15million for the Frenchman rather than letting him leave on a free next summer, but that would mean signing a replacement up front – with Vlahovic said to be one of Edu’s targets.

      THIS REALLY HAPPENED
      It still looks weird, doesn’t it?

      VARA-NNOUNCEMENT
      Manchester United will finally announce the arrival of Raphael Varane TOMORROW.
      SunSport now understands that Varane has successfully completed those medical checks and signed on the dotted line to make the transfer official.
      He has agreed a four-year contract with the option for a further 12-months.
      Varane has already posed in United’s colours for the official announcement with his shirt number all set to be unveiled.
      The number 12, 16, 22, 24 are the lowest ones currently available at Old Trafford but it will not be until the official confirmation that is revealed.
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