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      Man Utd and West Ham need £20MILLION for Sam Johnstone as West Brom demand massive transfer fee despite relegation

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      RELEGATED West Brom want a staggering £20million for Sam Johnstone — to scare his fan club.Baggies chiefs know that Johnstone is keen to stay in the Premier League and his contract is up at the end of next season when he can leave for nothing.
      Keeper Sam Johnstone is in demand following West Brom’s relegationCredit: AP
      Man Utd could move for Sam Johnstone if either Dean Henderson, left, or David De Gea depart Old Trafford this summerCredit: Getty
      But their valuation is sky high and that is giving Manchester United and West Ham a problem as they look at the 28-year-old.
      United are interested in their former player if Dean Henderson or David De Gea leave Old Trafford but they would not go to that massive valuation.
      Hammers are also mad keen on Johnstone but boss David Moyes is willing to wait until the price drops.
      The Scot sees him as a long-term replacement for Lukasz Fabianski, 36.
      United, meanwhile, have strengthened the back-up base lower down their chain of stoppers.
      Tom Heaton has agreed to rejoin on a two-year contract, 11 years after leaving Old Trafford.
      Aston Villa released the three-cap England ace, 35, on Friday.
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      And it is thought he will sign a deal with United after returning from a ten-day family holiday.
      The Red Devils have been on the hunt for another keeper as the futures of Lee Grant and Sergio Romero are uncertain.
      And Heaton will hope to finally make an appearance for United, having come through the ranks from 2005-10 without a first-team breakthrough.

      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Bruno Fernandes caught moaning about referee for VAR delay in secret tunnel footage leaked from Man Utd’s final loss More

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      Ryan Christie wanted by Southampton in transfer from Celtic after Scottish midfielder’s hot streak in front of goal

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      SOUTHAMPTON will target Celtic’s Scotland star Ryan Christie during Euro 2020.Christie, 26, helped fire Scotland to the competition and his ability to score from midfield appeals to the Saints.
      Southampton will try and sign Celtic’s Ryan Christie this summerCredit: PA
      His contract runs out at the end of this year, so Celtic need to cash in now or lose him as a free agent.
      Southampton hope to see him in his favoured attacking midfield role this summer.
      Earlier this month it emerged Norwich and Burnley want Christie.
      Norwich are building for another go at the Premier League next season under impressive German coach Daniel Farke, where they could pair him with his current Hoops team-mate Kris Ajer.
      Elsewhere on Saturday it emerged Leicester have reportedly agreed a deal to sign Ryan Bertrand from the Saints on a free.
      The 31-year-old has agreed terms with the Foxes, according to Football Insider.
      Brendan Rodgers is believed to be a big admirer of the experienced defender, as he will fill the void left by the departing Christian Fuchs.
      Bertrand would serve as a backup at the King Power, as well as a mentor figure for young defenders James Justin and Luke Thomas.
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      Rodgers, who worked with him during his time on Chelsea’s coaching staff, said last year: “Ryan’s a player I know very well. We took him into Chelsea at 16 and he’s had a brilliant career.”
      Bertrand is set to end his seven-year spell at St Mary’s when his contract expires on June 30.
      Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl paid tribute to the long-time servant who made 240 appearances for the club, saying: “He has been here for seven years and he has done a good job for this club.
      “We have to move on, like with other things in life, and we will replace him in the summer.”
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Noel Gallagher fires quick witted insult at Jamie Carragher after a poor attempt at singing ‘you’ll never walk alone’ More

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      Crystal Palace ready to offer Nuno instant Premier League return with ex-Wolves boss No1 target to replace Roy Hodgson

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      CRYSTAL PALACE want to talk Nuno Espirito Santo into a quick return to the Premier League.Palace are keen on the Portuguese coach who only left Wolves a week ago – and he would be offered the job if he fancied an instant comeback.
      Nuno Espirito Santo could continue managing in the Premier League after an impressive spell with WolvesCredit: PA
      Nuno shocked football when he left Wolves after a successful reign but it immediately alerted Palace supremo Steve Parish who is looking for Roy Hodgson’s replacement.
      And if Nuno wants a fresh challenge in England he goes to the top of the Palace wishlist – but they will need a quick answer.
      Palace have already shortlisted Barnsley’s Valerian Ismael and Swansea’s Steve Cooper as good choices for their post.
      But Nuno’s experience and style of play gives him the edge.
      The only question is about whether he is hungry to start again in the Prem.
      Palace could offer good terms as there is no compensation. And there are also vacancies for the large backroom staff he takes with him.
      Nuno is also admired by other Premier League clubs, another reason why Palace want a fast decision and commitment from him.
      He has been touted as a potential full-time successor to Jose Mourinho at Tottenham.
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      Liverpool boast the most-valuable squad in the Premier League
      The ex-Wolves coach played under former Spurs boss Mourinho when the Portuguese was in charge of Porto.
      Nuno has also been linked with a move to Serie A side Lazio.
      He is said to be on a shortlist that reportedly also includes Bologna’s Sinisa Mihajlovic, Rafa Benitez, Maurizio Sarri and Vincenzo Italiano.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Thousands of Wolves fans beg Nuno Espirito Santo to stay as they wait for him outside Molineaux before Man Utd clash More

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      Burnley line up £10m transfer raid on Nottingham Forest defender Joe Worrall with Liverpool hero Nat Phillips also eyed

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      BURNLEY plan to launch a £10million bid for Nottingham Forest centre-back Joe Worrall.Boss Sean Dyche has been given cash from the sale of Ben Gibson and wants long-term target Worrall to boost his squad.
      Worrell could be on his way to Turf Moor ahead of the 2021-22 seasonCredit: PA
      The defender is keen to move to the Premier League and Nottingham Forest may sell at the right price.
      Norwich and West Ham have also inquired about him.
      Burnley are looking for two centre-backs and have tried again for Stoke’s Nathan Collins.
      But the Potters want a big fee and are waiting on Manchester United, Arsenal and Crystal Palace to come in for the Irishman.
      The Clarets have also made an inquiry for Liverpool’s unexpected hero Nat Phillips, who is fancied by Newcastle, and have a long-standing interest in Dael Fry at Middlesbrough.
      Meanwhile, Burnley winger Dwight McNeil could be set to depart Turf Moor this summer.
      The English youngster has been linked with a move to fellow Premier League side Aston Villa in the transfer window.
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      Phillips could swap Liverpool for Burnley this summerCredit: Reuters
      McNeil is one of Villa’s main targets with the England Under-21 talent attracting interest after an impressive campaign.
      The 21-year-old scored twice and provided five assists last season for Burnley and could be enticed into a new challenge.
      McNeil operates on the left wing and his pace and flair would provide another attacking outlet for Dean Smith’s side.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Liverpool boast the most-valuable squad in the Premier League
      Brentford fans celebrate outside stadium after promotion to the Premier League More

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      England’s Euro 2020 squad will be offered therapy developed for soldiers with PTSD

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      ENGLAND’S Euro 2020 squad will be offered “mind therapy” treatment developed by scientists to help soldiers with PTSD to prepare for the finals.The players will spend the next week at stunning Rockcliffe Hall in Co Durham as they play friendlies against Austria and Romania.
      Gareth Southgate’s squad will have access to amazing facilities and supportCredit: Getty
      The FA has booked all 61 bedrooms at the five-star resort, which is nestled in 375 acres of quiet countryside.
      The squad will be able to enjoy some rest and relaxation in the hotel’s 50,000sq ft spa facility, which is among the largest in the country
      And stars including Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane and Phil Foden will also be able to use a “Mind Therapy Room” to get them into the right frame of mind ahead of the team’s first group stage game against Croatia on June 13.
      The stars will lie on a vibrating dentist’s chair-style sound wave bed which was invented by American scientists to help war veterans suffering with PTSD.
      Players will be invited to put headphones on and a face mask placed over their eyes before soft music is played to them, along with a series of beeps.
      The 30-minute treatment is said to help move brainwaves from the alpha state, which is a state of relaxation, to the slower delta waves, which we experience when we are asleep.
      A source said: “The players have had a long, hard season and have very little time off. So it’s only right that they get to spend some downtime in a beautiful hotel.
      “The spa is huge and regarded as one of the best in the country and the golf course is top notch too.
      “Some of the players could benefit from some mind therapy treatments to help clear their minds and relax them and help them sleep properly so their bodies can mend.”
      Earlier this week England boss Gareth Southgate revealed that Wags and families will be banned from the team hotel for the duration of the tournament, which starts on June 11.
      He said: “We’re not going to be able to let people in. There’s a clear edict from Uefa on what the bubbles need to look like to be as secure as we can make them.
      “It’s never going to be 100 per cent fail safe but we’ve got to comply with as much as we can.
      Stars including Marcus Rashford will be able to use a ‘Mind Therapy Room’ to get them into the right frame of mind ahead of the team’s first group game against CroatiaCredit: PA
      A source said: ‘Some of the players could benefit from some mind therapy treatments to help clear their minds and relax them’ – pictured Harry KaneCredit: PA

      “We’re hoping that we might at some point be able to let the players have a little bit of time at home.
      “But that’s constantly being assessed. It’d be a preference for us if we can.”England begin their Euro 2020 campaign underway against Croatia on June 13 at Wembley.
      The Three Lions then face Scotland on June 18 before concluding their Group D fixtures with a match against Czech Republic on June 22.
      Gareth Southgate to ditch iconic waistcoat for Euro 2020 after England boss stole show with outfit at Russia World Cup More

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      Leicester scout reveals how he unearthed gems Kante and Mahrez in budget swoops ahead of Champions League final

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      THE journeys Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante have made towards the biggest game in club football is Boy’s Own stuff.They emerged from the relative obscurity of French football to take the Premier League by storm with Leicester City. 
      Kante and Mahrez played a huge role in Leicester’s Premier League title win back in 2016Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      The pair were spotted playing in FranceCredit: GETTY IMAGES
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      And after going their separate ways, midfield enforcer Kante and winger Mahrez have both since won the title again, with Chelsea and  Manchester City respectively.
      Now as the pals set their sights on Champions League glory, SunSport can tell the inside story of their move to England.
      Leicester talent-spotter David Mills said: “To go from where they were to where they are now is inspirational.
      “I was delegated to head to Le Havre to watch Mahrez and it was immediately apparent he had lots of potential.
      “When I reported back to my boss, Steve Walsh, and the scouting team, I told them he’d be ideal — with caveats.
      “I remember saying he’s a good attacking player but the full-back won’t get much assistance from him.
      “Unless we could put up with his defensive shortcomings, he might not be one for us.
      “But, then again, at 400,000 euros it was a no-brainer. 
      Kante and Mahrez made the next step up in their careers, moving to Chelsea and Man City respectivelyCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      Both have won Premier League titles since their moves away from the King Power Stadium and remain friendsCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      “There are always doubts but it was case of having to live with his deficiencies.
      “In the end, as a department, we recommended to the manager, Nigel Pearson, that we should take him on that basis.”
      There were even doubts over Kante when he was first spotted by Mills, England’s first half-million-pound player when he left Middlesbrough for West Brom in 1979.
      Mills, 69, said: “I’d gone to Caen to watch a centre-half and this little lad in midfield towered over everyone, despite being just 5ft 6in.
      “It was a case of, ‘Who’s nicked the ball there? Kante. Who’s made that tackle? Kante. Who’s poked that ball away? Oh, Kante again’.
      “He reminded me of the highly influential Chelsea star Claude Makelele but I wasn’t certain he’d be Nigel’s type of player.
      “He wasn’t a big 6ft-plus aggressive player that a lot of managers want for their physical presence.
      “But I pointed out N’Golo was the best player of his type I’d seen in ten years. 
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      “Every time his opponents  counter-attacked, Kante foiled them.
      “I described him as a little ratter, which doesn’t sound flattering but I meant it as a compliment. With so many Premier League teams counter-attacking, he was ideally suited to halting breakaways.” 
      Kante was signed for £5.6million and soon brought the best out of Mahrez.
      Ex-Foxes and Chelsea keeper Mark Schwarzer said: “I played alongside N’Golo when he started his first Leicester game at Bury in the League Cup and he bossed it. 
      “I instantly knew he’d be a first-team regular and getting him was a masterstroke — especially for Riyad. N’Golo’s ability to be here, there and everywhere allowed Riyad freedom to focus on getting forward.” 

      It will be bitter-sweet for Foxes fans when their former heroes line up in Porto but Mills insists the club should take pride in their success.
      He said: “I knew Mahrez and Kante were special when I first clapped eyes on them but no one who saw them back then could have predicted how far they could go. 
      “The Champions League final will be a fairytale for one of them.”
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Raucous Chelsea and Man City fans drink beers and lap up Porto sunshine ahead of Champions League final More

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      Chelsea star Jorginho had agreed personal terms with Manchester City before Blues move – now he aims to make them pay

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      JORGINHO could well have been lining up for Manchester City against Chelsea in tonight’s Champions League final.There are plenty of Chelsea fans who probably wish he were.
      Jorgino cracks a smile as he prepares for the Champions League finalCredit: Getty
      The Italian is nearing 100 appearances for the club but still struggles to win over a large body of sceptics who cannot take to his measured style of football.
      Jorginho was signed for £57.4million by former boss Maurizio Sarri and his support team, which included Blues legend Gianfranco Zola.
      Zola, voted the club’s best-ever player by the fans, spent a year in the dugout trying to convince the punters that Jorginho was worth his place in the team — one he has kept ever since.
      In Zola’s 12-month spell Chelsea finished third in the league, won the Europa League and lost only on penalties to champions Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final.
      The Italian legend said: “Maybe the fans just like to see someone who is always flying into tackles, winning the ball back or is knocking players over all the time. He is always questioned. When something goes wrong and Jorgo makes a mistake, it is always picked up straight away.
      “But it is no coincidence that the owner of Manchester City wanted to buy him. I don’t know how close they got but he decided to come to us.
      “It’s not like he wasn’t being noticed by other clubs.
      “If you are a team that wants to be organised, a passing team, then Jorgo is the man.
      Jorginho worked under Gianfranco Zola at Stamford BridgeCredit: Rex
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      “He is always in the right place supporting defenders and the other midfielders when they have the ball. He is always available when the ball is becoming hot.
      “This is a player who never hides. And just look, he played under Sarri but he then played under Frank Lampard and now he is becoming an important player for Thomas Tuchel.
      “The fans have to understand that he is perfect for a manager.
      “Jorgo is not only an important player to have control of the ball but he has also been the skipper many times.
      “They gave him responsibility, which means they value him as a player but also as a character.
      “You can rely on him all the time. A lot of players under pressure don’t want the ball — but Jorgo is not one of them.
      “When you have a player who doesn’t hide when you need to control a game under pressure, you value him a lot. Maybe at times people don’t see this.”
      Jorginho had agreed personal terms with City before following Sarri to Stamford Bridge.
      Jorginho was in and out of the team under Frank LampardCredit: AFP
      The Italian is a regular in big games under Thomas TuchelCredit: AP
      He is a regular starter under Tuchel — especially in the big games: the FA Cup final, key Champions League matches and Prem games against the top opposition.
      Chelsea face the biggest game on the club calendar with an emerging team.

      Zola, 54, was the stylish focus of a Chelsea team also emerging from years of mediocrity to begin the trophy hauling back in the 1990s. The biggest was the now defunct Cup Winners’ Cup in 1998 — and it has led them all the way to the very top.
      Zola said: “That was the beginning of what you see now.
      “We were a team building and trying to catch up with Arsenal and Manchester United, who were the best in the country then. We were rising.
      “I can only smile at the enthusiasm, the supporters… every player was so happy to be part of that team.
      “Now it is an established team. Now when you talk about Chelsea you talk about one of the best teams in Europe.
      “It’s two beautiful stories in different ways. The club is much more settled.
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      “The front players will be key in this final. City are so good offensively because they can bring a lot of players forward.
      “They attack very well, are organised and have so many variations in their attacks.
      “But in their strength also lies their weakness.
      “Because they bring so many players forwards they risk being put under pressure when they lose the ball.
      “When you have good players at attacking space, like Mason Mount, Timo Werner or Christian Pulisic, or putting the ball into space, it can be a problem.”
      Chelsea have lost three of their last four games and looked a jaded image of the team which embarrassed Real Madrid in the semi-finals.
      Zola said: “Back then, if I had  £1,000 in my pocket, I would have put a bet on Chelsea to win it. Right now maybe I would put £500.”
      Zola is backing the Blues to win their second Champions LeagueCredit: Getty Images – Getty
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      Raucous Chelsea and Man City fans drink beers and lap up Porto sunshine ahead of Champions League final More

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      Tottenham edge closer to sensational Mauricio Pochettino return with PSG manager believing he has ‘unfinished business’

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      DANIEL LEVY is confident he can pull off Mauricio Pochettino’s sensational return to Tottenham.And Poch is willing to come back to North London after extended talks this week.
      Spurs are confident of bringing Mauricio Pochettino back to the clubCredit: AFP
      SunSport revealed on Tuesday that Spurs chairman Levy was ready to ask Pochettino to take over as manager for a second time.
      We also told you the Argentine is prepared to leave Paris Saint-Germain and head back to White Hart Lane as he has been unhappy in France.
      Both parties have now held talks over a reunion that would improve the chances of Harry Kane staying put — as Levy faces a battle to keep his star striker this summer.
      Pochettino, devastated by his 2019 axe, also believes he has unfinished business at Spurs.
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      Levy must agree terms with Pochettino and PSG, who will want compensation.
      But with no other clear contender, he is prepared to pay a substantial sum.
      We can also reveal Pochettino, who failed to lead PSG to the French title, does not have a good relationship with sporting director Leonardo.
      Poch, who spent five years at Spurs, is unhappy Leonardo is prepared to sell global icon Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid.
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      And he is unimpressed by the replacement forward that Leonardo is lining up.
      Pochettino led PSG to glory in the French Cup against Monaco this month.
      But he missed out on the Ligue 1 title by one point to underdogs Lille.
      Mauricio Pochettino considering stunning Tottenham return More