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      in Boxing

      Hearn recalls looking like ‘a f***ing tosser’ at AJ’s loss to Ruiz and thinks it’s helped him prepare Warrington return

      by

      EDDIE HEARN was perfectly prepared for Josh Warrington’s crucial comeback after looking like a prize penguin for Anthony Joshua’s shock first loss.The Matchroom boss chose AJ’s American debut against Andy Ruiz in June 2019 to wear a tuxedo to a fight for the first time and felt the fashion faux pas backfire.
      Eddie Hearn said he felt like a ‘f***ing tosser’ for wearing a tuxedo for Anthony Joshua’s loss to Andy RuizCredit: Getty
      It was the first time Hearn had done it and AJ lost to Ruiz Jr in one of the biggest shocks everCredit: AP
      But the Matchroom promoter said it helped him prepare for Josh Warrington’s loss to Mauricio LaraCredit: Dave Thompson Matchroom Boxing
      The long-way back that Watford’s heavyweight king took has helped Hearn and Warrington cope with the crushing blow suffered against Mauricio Lara in February and plan the rebuild.
      Warrington, 30, has already praised a video call with Joshua during his darkest hour for helping him out of the pits of despair.
      And, ahead of Saturday’s rematch in front of 20,000 Headingley fans, Hearn revealed how he learned to roll with the punches.
      Hearn recalled: “After selling old Madison Square Garden with AJ, that night I decided to wear a bow-tie and dinner suit.
      “I had never ever done that before for a fight but, I thought, for AJ at a sold-out MSG I should. And I look back at pictures now and think ‘what a f****** tosser!’
      “I walked the whole way home to New York’s Soho after the fight, about 3am I was bumping into British fans who wanted photos and answers and I just wanted to be left alone.

      “But dealing with nights like that helped me learn how to handle night’s like Josh Warrington’s loss.
      “Josh’s was harrowing because no-one was there and we heard everything. MSG was berserk so we didn’t hear it.
      “But the lows hopefully lead back to huge highs and when Josh wins on Saturday we can hopefully look back at the last few months and just say ‘what a ride’.”
      Hearn reached out to AJ after Warrington’s violent loss at an empty and silent Wembley arena and put the two fallen soldiers in touch to share war stories.
      The Leeds icon says the chat dragged him back on the road to redemption and Hearn believes it helped continue AJ’s learning process and that he will reach out again before the first bell.
      Hearn said: “Josh asked if AJ would have a chat because he was struggling.
      “But AJ struggled after the Ruiz loss and this felt even bigger because it was a horrible defeat in a silent and empty arena.

      “I had never asked AJ to do anything like that before but within an hour of swapping numbers AJ called him. I called to thank AJ but I think he enjoyed it.
      “Both of their nights went wrong, after problems for both in their build-ups. But both took immediate rematches and got the wins.
      “I am sure AJ will message him before the fight because you have to talk about these things.”

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      Tyron Woodley reveals Floyd Mayweather told him he thought he beat ‘scared’ Jake Paul but said he needed ‘more output’ More

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      in Soccer

      Cristiano Ronaldo’s fiancée ­Georgina Rodriguez stuns in diamonds worth £78,000

      by

      CRISTIANO Ronaldo’s fiancee ­Georgina Rodriguez is draped in diamonds worth £78,000 — a shade over what the new Manchester United star makes in a day.The Argentine, 27, arrived at the Venice Film Festival yesterday wearing four glitzy rings, floral necklace and earrings by Giardini Segreti.
      Man United ace Cristiano Ronaldo’s fiancée wowed as she was covered in diamonds at the Venice Film FestivalCredit: Getty
      Georgina Rodriguez donned £78,000 worth of diamonds by Giardini SegretiCredit: Instagram @cristiano
      Georgina, who has a jewellery collection worth over £2.6million, attended the exclusive event in Italy alongside fashion editor Anna Dello Russo.
      A source said: “She oozes class.
      “They really are a power couple.”
      Portugal legend Ronaldo, 36, was preparing to face Ireland last night.
      The Portugal international, who is said to be worth over £500million, proposed with an engagement ring estimated to be worth around £615,000 in September last year.
      It’s believed to be the most expensive piece of jewellery ever bought for a WAG.

      It is a shade over what the footie star makes in a day
      Georgina has a jewellery collection worth over £2.6millionCredit: Getty
      A source said: ‘She oozes class’Credit: EPA
      Georgina Rodriguez looks stunning in latest photo shoot More

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      in Soccer

      It’s a lucky escape for Mrs Kane… Man City ruined my marriage, says Riyad Mahrez’s former wife Rita Johal

      by

      THE ex-wife of Man City ace Riyad Mahrez has claimed he turned his back on her and their family after signing for the club.Today singer Rita Johal says the winger, who earns £160,000 a week, transformed from a down-to-earth dad who shopped in Asda into a “big head” after his move from Leicester City.
      Rita said: ‘Harry Kane’s wife probably had a lucky escape’Credit: Nick Obank – The Sun
      Rita said: ‘It was 2014 and I didn’t have a clue who he was. He wasn’t a big name then’Credit: Instagram
      And she thinks England ace Harry Kane’s wife Kate should breathe a sigh of relief now that his £160million transfer to Man City has collapsed.
      Rita, 28, exclusively told The Sun on Sunday: “I can’t comment on other people’s lives but moving there changed my husband.
      “Harry Kane’s wife probably had a lucky escape. Others should be careful.
      “Riyad let fame go to his head. He changed when he went to Manchester City.
      “But a footballer’s career is short-lived.
      “They should remain grounded and loyal to those they care for, even when they have moved up to a bigger club, because when it’s all over they will realise who’s truly there.”
      Rita told how she changed her faith for Muslim Riyad, stopped drinking alcohol and accepted a quiet life with the star when she first met him seven years ago.
      But when he moved north for £60million in 2018, she says Riyad, 30, turned cold towards her.

      Now he has moved on and is engaged to influencer Taylor Ward.
      Rita said: “The Riyad I met is a different person to the one he is now. He parties, he acts like a flash footballer.
      “I don’t hate him, that’s a strong word, but I am shocked and saddened by what he has done.
      “He suddenly left me, blaming the pressures of playing at Manchester City.
      “Now he spends all his time jetting around the place on holiday without a care in the world.”
      Rita, who has worked as a film extra in Kingsman: The Secret Service, and Cinderella, was walking in Oxford Street in her home city of London when Riyad tapped on her shoulder.
      She said: “It was 2014 and I didn’t have a clue who he was. He wasn’t a big name then.
      “But he was charming and I liked him. He was lovely to me, constantly telling me I was beautiful, asking about my life, making me feel special.
      “He said he loved me and wanted me to have his children.”
      The pair became inseparable and just four months later they married in a secret ceremony.
      Rita said: “We had a small wedding at home.
      “I loved him, I wanted to do that. I changed the way I was for him. I changed my faith.
      “I stopped drinking, as he didn’t drink. I loved his values. And I wanted a solid family life.
      “I wanted us to be strong together like my own parents and he felt the same way.
      “Our wedding was low key at home with two priests and our close family.
      “We were madly in love and we wanted to be together for ever.”
      They went on to have daughter Inaya in 2015.
      During the pregnancy, Rita suffered such bad pre-eclampsia she feared she would die and was wary of trying to have another child.
      But a year later the couple ­­welcomed a second daughter, Ayla.
      She said: “I was terrified about having more children but Riyad really wanted us to extend our family. I was scared but he kept reassuring me everything would be OK. We were overjoyed when Ayla was born.
      “At first we were just a normal family.
      “Riyad wasn’t flash. Yes, he was a footballer, but we were just your regular couple with our two little girls.
      “He went and played football, I was a stay-at-home mum. We would watch films together.”
      But in July 2018, Manchester City confirmed his signing on a five-year contract. The transfer fee of £60million made him the club’s then most expensive player.
      Rita says that is when their lives changed completely. Rita, now living in Beaconsfield, Bucks, said: “The loving, humble and caring Riyad disappeared.
      “He started to believe his own hype. He had yes men who told him what he wanted to hear. I started to see the change in him.
      “He stopped asking me how my day went and what I was going to do.
      “I think I became the boring wife at home and he had this glitzy lifestyle away from me.
      “He started to just ignore me.
      “Obviously I asked what was going on and he would say, ‘I am pressured, it is the football, I am stressed’.”
      Things went downhill further until the Manchester City ace moved out of the family home in 2019.
      Rita says: “It got worse and worse. Eventually he moved into our spare room.
      “And then one day he left and checked into a hotel.
      “He just left the family. He left us — he chose a new life.
      “I begged him to come home. He said he couldn’t because he felt so pressured because of football.
      “The truth is he was bored. It was dreadful for me.
      “His fans bullied me online and I felt like a failure.
      Rita and Riyad in happier times at the BT Sport Awards in 2017Credit: Splash News
      Riyad and Rita celebrate with the Premier League trophyCredit: Getty – Contributor
      “For a long time I didn’t have the strength to speak about it.
      “And then when I did, because I had publicised the fact he had walked out, I was the one accused of cheating.
      “There was a huge backlash on social media and I was bullied again, even though in my eyes I was the victim.”
      Last February Riyad started dating Taylor Ward, the daughter of Real Housewives Of Cheshire stars Dawn and Ashley Ward, himself a former footballer.
      Taylor, 23, moved into his luxury flat in December last year and earlier this year they bought a £2million home in Cheshire.
      And in June, the Algeria national team captain proposed with a £400,000 custom-made engagement ring.
      Rita, who is now dating 28-year-old music producer Fumez The Engineer, said: “I found out that he was going out with Taylor via Instagram, because people kept tagging me in photos of him.
      “He didn’t have the decency to tell the mother of his children that he had a new partner.
      “I found out that he was engaged to Taylor on Instagram too. I wish him all the happiness there is but he appears to live a different lifestyle now.
      “He stopped talking to me for a long time after he left. I don’t know why. I did nothing wrong.
      “He will mainly talk via my mum, which is ridiculous. It’s hurtful.
      “I just hope once the glitz of football has gone he doesn’t live to regret it.”
      Riyad and fiancée Taylor with a £400,000 ringCredit: Instagram
      Riyad in action playing for Man CityCredit: Getty
      England ace Harry Kane is now remaining at Spurs, pictured with wife KateCredit: Rex
      Man City star Riyad Mahrez split from his wife and is now dating RHOC star Dawn Ward’s daughter Taylor More

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      in Soccer

      It’s a lucky escape for Mrs Kane… Man City ruined my marriage, says Riyad Mahrez’s ex-wife Rita Johal

      by

      THE ex-wife of Man City ace Riyad Mahrez has claimed he turned his back on her and their family after signing for the club.Today singer Rita Johal says the winger, who earns £160,000 a week, transformed from a down-to-earth dad who shopped in Asda into a “big head” after his move from Leicester City.
      Rita said: ‘Harry Kane’s wife probably had a lucky escape’Credit: Nick Obank – The Sun
      Rita said: ‘It was 2014 and I didn’t have a clue who he was. He wasn’t a big name then’Credit: Instagram
      And she thinks England ace Harry Kane’s wife Kate should breathe a sigh of relief now that his £160million transfer to Man City has collapsed.
      Rita, 28, exclusively told The Sun on Sunday: “I can’t comment on other people’s lives but moving there changed my husband.
      “Harry Kane’s wife probably had a lucky escape. Others should be careful.
      “Riyad let fame go to his head. He changed when he went to Manchester City.
      “But a footballer’s career is short-lived.
      “They should remain grounded and loyal to those they care for, even when they have moved up to a bigger club, because when it’s all over they will realise who’s truly there.”
      Rita told how she changed her faith for Muslim Riyad, stopped drinking alcohol and accepted a quiet life with the star when she first met him seven years ago.
      But when he moved north for £60million in 2018, she says Riyad, 30, turned cold towards her.

      Now he has moved on and is engaged to influencer Taylor Ward.
      Rita said: “The Riyad I met is a different person to the one he is now. He parties, he acts like a flash footballer.
      “I don’t hate him, that’s a strong word, but I am shocked and saddened by what he has done.
      “He suddenly left me, blaming the pressures of playing at Manchester City.
      “Now he spends all his time jetting around the place on holiday without a care in the world.”
      Rita, who has worked as a film extra in Kingsman: The Secret Service, and Cinderella, was walking in Oxford Street in her home city of London when Riyad tapped on her shoulder.
      She said: “It was 2014 and I didn’t have a clue who he was. He wasn’t a big name then.
      “But he was charming and I liked him. He was lovely to me, constantly telling me I was beautiful, asking about my life, making me feel special.
      “He said he loved me and wanted me to have his children.”
      The pair became inseparable and just four months later they married in a secret ceremony.
      Rita said: “We had a small wedding at home.
      “I loved him, I wanted to do that. I changed the way I was for him. I changed my faith.
      “I stopped drinking, as he didn’t drink. I loved his values. And I wanted a solid family life.
      “I wanted us to be strong together like my own parents and he felt the same way.
      “Our wedding was low key at home with two priests and our close family.
      “We were madly in love and we wanted to be together for ever.”
      They went on to have daughter Inaya in 2015.
      During the pregnancy, Rita suffered such bad pre-eclampsia she feared she would die and was wary of trying to have another child.
      But a year later the couple ­­welcomed a second daughter, Ayla.
      She said: “I was terrified about having more children but Riyad really wanted us to extend our family. I was scared but he kept reassuring me everything would be OK. We were overjoyed when Ayla was born.
      “At first we were just a normal family.
      “Riyad wasn’t flash. Yes, he was a footballer, but we were just your regular couple with our two little girls.
      “He went and played football, I was a stay-at-home mum. We would watch films together.”
      But in July 2018, Manchester City confirmed his signing on a five-year contract. The transfer fee of £60million made him the club’s then most expensive player.
      Rita says that is when their lives changed completely. Rita, now living in Beaconsfield, Bucks, said: “The loving, humble and caring Riyad disappeared.
      “He started to believe his own hype. He had yes men who told him what he wanted to hear. I started to see the change in him.
      “He stopped asking me how my day went and what I was going to do.
      “I think I became the boring wife at home and he had this glitzy lifestyle away from me.
      “He started to just ignore me.
      “Obviously I asked what was going on and he would say, ‘I am pressured, it is the football, I am stressed’.”
      Things went downhill further until the Manchester City ace moved out of the family home in 2019.
      Rita says: “It got worse and worse. Eventually he moved into our spare room.
      “And then one day he left and checked into a hotel.
      “He just left the family. He left us — he chose a new life.
      “I begged him to come home. He said he couldn’t because he felt so pressured because of football.
      “The truth is he was bored. It was dreadful for me.
      “His fans bullied me online and I felt like a failure.
      Rita and Riyad in happier times at the BT Sport Awards in 2017Credit: Splash News
      Riyad and Rita celebrate with the Premier League trophyCredit: Getty – Contributor
      “For a long time I didn’t have the strength to speak about it.
      “And then when I did, because I had publicised the fact he had walked out, I was the one accused of cheating.
      “There was a huge backlash on social media and I was bullied again, even though in my eyes I was the victim.”
      Last February Riyad started dating Taylor Ward, the daughter of Real Housewives Of Cheshire stars Dawn and Ashley Ward, himself a former footballer.
      Taylor, 23, moved into his luxury flat in December last year and earlier this year they bought a £2million home in Cheshire.
      And in June, the Algeria national team captain proposed with a £400,000 custom-made engagement ring.
      Rita, who is now dating 28-year-old music producer Fumez The Engineer, said: “I found out that he was going out with Taylor via Instagram, because people kept tagging me in photos of him.
      “He didn’t have the decency to tell the mother of his children that he had a new partner.
      “I found out that he was engaged to Taylor on Instagram too. I wish him all the happiness there is but he appears to live a different lifestyle now.
      “He stopped talking to me for a long time after he left. I don’t know why. I did nothing wrong.
      “He will mainly talk via my mum, which is ridiculous. It’s hurtful.
      “I just hope once the glitz of football has gone he doesn’t live to regret it.”
      Riyad and fiancée Taylor with a £400,000 ringCredit: Instagram
      Riyad in action playing for Man CityCredit: Getty
      England ace Harry Kane is now remaining at Spurs, pictured with wife KateCredit: Rex
      Man City star Riyad Mahrez split from his wife and is now dating RHOC star Dawn Ward’s daughter Taylor More

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      in Soccer

      It’s a lucky escape for Mrs Kane… Man City ruined my marriage, says Riyad Mahrez’s ex Rita Johal

      by

      THE ex-wife of Man City star Riyad Mahrez has claimed he turned his back on her and their family after signing for the club.Today singer Rita Johal says the winger, who earns £160,000 a week, transformed from a down-to-earth dad who shopped in Asda into a “big head” after his move from Leicester City.
      Rita said: ‘Harry Kane’s wife probably had a lucky escape’Credit: Nick Obank – The Sun
      Rita said: ‘It was 2014 and I didn’t have a clue who he was. He wasn’t a big name then’Credit: Instagram
      And she thinks England ace Harry Kane’s wife Kate should breathe a sigh of relief now that his £160million transfer to Man City has collapsed.
      Rita, 28, exclusively told The Sun on Sunday: “I can’t comment on other people’s lives but moving there changed my husband.
      “Harry Kane’s wife probably had a lucky escape. Others should be careful.
      “Riyad let fame go to his head. He changed when he went to Manchester City.
      “But a footballer’s career is short-lived.
      “They should remain grounded and loyal to those they care for, even when they have moved up to a bigger club, because when it’s all over they will realise who’s truly there.”
      Rita told how she changed her faith for Muslim Riyad, stopped drinking alcohol and accepted a quiet life with the star when she first met him seven years ago.
      But when he moved north for £60million in 2018, she says Riyad, 30, turned cold towards her.

      Now he has moved on and is engaged to influencer Taylor Ward.
      Rita said: “The Riyad I met is a different person to the one he is now. He parties, he acts like a flash footballer.
      “I don’t hate him, that’s a strong word, but I am shocked and saddened by what he has done.
      “He suddenly left me, blaming the pressures of playing at Manchester City.
      “Now he spends all his time jetting around the place on holiday without a care in the world.”
      Rita, who has worked as a film extra in Kingsman: The Secret Service, and Cinderella, was walking in Oxford Street in her home city of London when Riyad tapped on her shoulder.
      She said: “It was 2014 and I didn’t have a clue who he was. He wasn’t a big name then.
      “But he was charming and I liked him. He was lovely to me, constantly telling me I was beautiful, asking about my life, making me feel special.
      “He said he loved me and wanted me to have his children.”
      The pair became inseparable and just four months later they married in a secret ceremony.
      Rita said: “We had a small wedding at home.
      “I loved him, I wanted to do that. I changed the way I was for him. I changed my faith.
      “I stopped drinking, as he didn’t drink. I loved his values. And I wanted a solid family life.
      “I wanted us to be strong together like my own parents and he felt the same way.
      “Our wedding was low key at home with two priests and our close family.
      “We were madly in love and we wanted to be together for ever.”
      They went on to have daughter Inaya in 2015.
      During the pregnancy, Rita suffered such bad pre-eclampsia she feared she would die and was wary of trying to have another child.
      But a year later the couple ­­welcomed a second daughter, Ayla.
      She said: “I was terrified about having more children but Riyad really wanted us to extend our family. I was scared but he kept reassuring me everything would be OK. We were overjoyed when Ayla was born.
      “At first we were just a normal family.
      “Riyad wasn’t flash. Yes, he was a footballer, but we were just your regular couple with our two little girls.
      “He went and played football, I was a stay-at-home mum. We would watch films together.”
      But in July 2018, Manchester City confirmed his signing on a five-year contract. The transfer fee of £60million made him the club’s then most expensive player.
      Rita says that is when their lives changed completely. Rita, now living in Beaconsfield, Bucks, said: “The loving, humble and caring Riyad disappeared.
      “He started to believe his own hype. He had yes men who told him what he wanted to hear. I started to see the change in him.
      “He stopped asking me how my day went and what I was going to do.
      “I think I became the boring wife at home and he had this glitzy lifestyle away from me.
      “He started to just ignore me.
      “Obviously I asked what was going on and he would say, ‘I am pressured, it is the football, I am stressed’.”
      Things went downhill further until the Manchester City ace moved out of the family home in 2019.
      Rita says: “It got worse and worse. Eventually he moved into our spare room.
      “And then one day he left and checked into a hotel.
      “He just left the family. He left us — he chose a new life.
      “I begged him to come home. He said he couldn’t because he felt so pressured because of football.
      “The truth is he was bored. It was dreadful for me.
      “His fans bullied me online and I felt like a failure.
      Rita and Riyad in happier times at the BT Sport Awards in 2017Credit: Splash News
      Riyad and Rita celebrate with the Premier League trophyCredit: Getty – Contributor
      “For a long time I didn’t have the strength to speak about it.
      “And then when I did, because I had publicised the fact he had walked out, I was the one accused of cheating.
      “There was a huge backlash on social media and I was bullied again, even though in my eyes I was the victim.”
      Last February Riyad started dating Taylor Ward, the daughter of Real Housewives Of Cheshire stars Dawn and Ashley Ward, himself a former footballer.
      Taylor, 23, moved into his luxury flat in December last year and earlier this year they bought a £2million home in Cheshire.
      And in June, the Algeria national team captain proposed with a £400,000 custom-made engagement ring.
      Rita, who is now dating 28-year-old music producer Fumez The Engineer, said: “I found out that he was going out with Taylor via Instagram, because people kept tagging me in photos of him.
      “He didn’t have the decency to tell the mother of his children that he had a new partner.
      “I found out that he was engaged to Taylor on Instagram too. I wish him all the happiness there is but he appears to live a different lifestyle now.
      “He stopped talking to me for a long time after he left. I don’t know why. I did nothing wrong.
      “He will mainly talk via my mum, which is ridiculous. It’s hurtful.
      “I just hope once the glitz of football has gone he doesn’t live to regret it.”
      Riyad and fiancée Taylor with a £400,000 ringCredit: Instagram
      Riyad in action playing for Man CityCredit: Getty
      England ace Harry Kane is now remaining at Spurs, pictured with wife KateCredit: Rex
      Man City star Riyad Mahrez split from his wife and is now dating RHOC star Dawn Ward’s daughter Taylor More

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      in Soccer

      Dele Alli poses with Ben Chilwell after enjoying double date with blonde beauty

      by

      DELE Alli poses with fellow Premier League star Ben Chilwell on a romantic double date.Spurs ace Dele, 25, wearing baggy beige dungarees, snuggled up at dinner with a blonde-haired beauty.
      Dele Alli poses with Chelsea star Ben Chilwell on a romantic double dateCredit: Eroteme
      Dele snuggles up with his date over a cosy dinnerCredit: Will/Dan/CLICK NEWS AND MEDIA
      Dele’s female companion later got a taxi aloneCredit: Will/Dan/CLICK NEWS AND MEDIA
      Meanwhile, Chelsea player Chilwell, 24, dressed more low-key, was joined inside by a brunette girl.
      Dele split from long-time girlfriend Ruby Mae, 23, in February.
      An onlooker said: “Dele was smiling a lot and she was giggling
      “They were snuggling up.
      “Dele couldn’t keep his eyes off her.”
      His female companion later got a taxi alone, as the group all left separately last week at Sexy Fish in upmarket Mayfair, central London.

      An onlooker said: ‘Dele was smiling a lot and she was giggling’Credit: Will/Dan/CLICK NEWS AND MEDIA
      Dele split from long-time girlfriend Ruby Mae in FebruaryCredit: Will/Dan/CLICK NEWS AND MEDIA
      Chelsea player Ben Chilwell was joined by a brunette girlCredit: Will/Dan/CLICK NEWS AND MEDIA
      Chelsea ace Ben and his date look relaxed togetherCredit: DAN / WILL/CLICK NEWS AND MEDIA
      The girls share a smile and giggle as they head off for the eveningCredit: DAN / WILL/CLICK NEWS AND MEDIA
      Chelsea star Ben Chilwell learning to play piano as pal Dele Alli turns up at house and catches him during lesson More

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      in Soccer

      Cristiano Ronaldo will earn at least £50MILLION at Man Utd after telling them ‘I want to come home’

      by

      MONEYBAGS idol Cristiano Ronaldo will earn at least £50million from his sensational Manchester United comeback after telling them: “I want to come home.”The Sun can reveal the superstar, 36, had been in secret talks for months to rejoin the Red Devils — despite rumours he would sign for rivals Man City.
      Cristiano Ronaldo, mocked-up in the new Man Utd kit, will earn £50 million from his Red Devils return
      A source said: “In his heart, he only ever wanted to go back to United.”
      The superstar, who already has a personal fortune of £500million, stunned the football world yesterday with his return to Old Trafford.
      He is heading back to the Red Devils just as he seemed set to move to arch rivals Man City.
      The Portuguese idol shot to fame in his first spell at Old Trafford before leaving for Real Madrid in 2009.
      And we can reveal he had been in secret talks for months over the lucrative deal to leave Italian giants Juventus.
      ‘WANTED TO COME HOME’
      A source said: “Cristiano was keen to secure a good deal because he is still one of the very best footballers in the world.
      “But in his heart he only ever wanted to go back to Manchester United. He told the club he wanted to come home and now he is home.”
      Ronaldo, whose glittering first spell included a European Champions League and three Premier League titles wins, will put pen to paper on a two-year deal worth £480,000 a week, or £25million a year.
      He is expected to earn millions more in a cut of replica shirt sales, having apparently made sure he will again wear the famous No7 after making a fortune from his CR7 brand.
      Currently back in Portugal, he is expected to fly into Manchester this weekend with Argentinian model girlfriend Georgina Rodríguez, 27, and his four kids to look for a mega-mansion near the city.
      Yesterday, it emerged his mentor and former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson — who signed him as an 18-year-old and has a special “father and son” relationship with him — phoned to urge him to return.
      Sir Alex, 79, hopes it will get one over City and help restore the glory years.Red Devils chief Ed Woodward also spent two months wooing the club legend before the huge coup.
      Former United defender Rio Ferdinand revealed he phoned and urged Ronaldo not to sign for City.

      A source said: “Talks with Cristiano have been going on behind the scenes for about two months.
      “When it became clear he wanted to leave Italy, United were determined to get him but wanted to keep it as quiet as possible.
      “They also never believed Cristiano would ever be willing to sign for City.
      “He is a United legend and the fans still sing his name at every game.”
      The announcement saw United’s share price leap eight per cent, increasing its value by around £181million.
      The club website crashed as millions of fans tried to learn more about the comeback.
      United are understood to be paying a £21.4million transfer fee for Ronaldo once he has completed a medical and agreed personal terms.
      Cristiano Ronaldo told Man Utd that he ‘wanted to come home’Credit: Reuters
      Ronaldo had spent the past three years at JuventusCredit: Getty
      Ronaldo will bring girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez to Manchester
      Jubilant United fans have been celebrating Ronaldo’s returnCredit: Zenpix More

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      in Soccer

      England boss Gareth Southgate admits his shock at abuse he recieved after campaigning for youngsters to get Covid jabs

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      GARETH SOUTHGATE has been left shocked by the levels of abuse he received for urging youngsters to get jabbed.The England manager revealed yesterday he has suffered a backlash after posting a video last month – and the criticism was greater than anything he received concerning Euro 2020.
      Gareth Southgate was surprised by criticism his received after urging youngsters to get CovidCredit: Getty
      Asked whether he believes all players should have two vaccinations, Southgate said: “My understanding – although I’ve not spoken to people at every club – is the take-up has been varied across different clubs.
      “I’m not going to get too involved in this, because I was asked to do a video supporting the vaccination programme, which I thought was responsible, and of all the things I received abuse for over the summer – of which there’s been several – that’s probably the one I’ve received the most abuse over.
      “So I’m probably going to keep out of that argument for the time being.”
      As for the abuse, he added: “I’ve sort of accepted it’s part of the job, that is the nature of the job, and of course when you want to try to make a difference, and take the right sort of stance on taking the knee and other things, then you know you are not going to please everybody and there are extreme views on lots of those subjects as well.
      “I’m always happy to support the greater good, and I think that’s right.
      “I’m not the one who has to open some of that mail and some of those emails because my poor secretary has dealt with quite a lot of that, so that is the reality.”
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      Southgate still believes it will be more helpful if players are double jabbed due to the travelling involved.
      He said: “If they are over 18 then they have the right to make their own decisions. No one is saying they have to but I think as we go through the season some of the quarantining issues with Europe and everything else are going to be more complicated if you are not vaccinated.
      “So I don’t know if that will play a factor in how clubs feel.”
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