The Sun Newspaper

Subterms

    More stories

    • 200 Shares129 Views

      in Soccer

      Man Utd starlet Dan James targeted by Brighton for loan transfer after falling down pecking order

      by

      GRAHAM POTTER will ask Manchester United for Dan James on loan to fire up Brighton’s survival fight.
      Boss Potter worked with the Welsh flying winger at Swansea — and thinks he would be a great asset if United let him out for badly-needed game time.

      Brighton are chasing Dan James – who has struggled for minutes this seasonCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

      And James has told pals he would be happy to play for Potter again as he thrived under his style in their last spell together.
      The Seagulls asked about James, 23, in the last transfer window but he opted to stay at Old Trafford.
      However, his chances of starts are slim and he has the Euro 2021 finals on his horizon.
      Wales want to see James playing more often and staying sharp for their campaign as he was a key part of their qualification.

      Brighton, just above the drop zone, have found it hard to score lately and Potter needs extra attacking thrust.
      Leeds are also long-term admirers of James, trying twice to land him before.
      James has made only a handful of club appearances since the summer and often plays on the right when his preference and more effective position is the left.

      James worked under Graham Potter at Swansea CityCredit: Reuters

      The former Swan was a key man at Old Trafford last season, appearing 46 times in all competitions.

      But he played just three times in the Premier League this time around, and hasn’t at all since October 24.
      James was on the bench as the Red Devils beat Sheffield United 3-2 on Thursday night.
      ⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

      Daniel James has quick feet in training with Man Utd More

    • 213 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Footie legend Diego Maradona’s body could be dug up, embalmed and displayed like Lenin with his trophies

      by

      FOOTIE legend Diego Maradona’s body could be dug up and displayed with his trophies.
      The 60-year-old Argentine Hand of God star’s dying wish was to be embalmed.

      ⚠️ Read our Diego Maradona death live blog for the latest news & updates

      Diego Maradona’s body could be dug up and displayed with his trophiesCredit: AFP

      The football legend wanted to be embalmed after his deathCredit: AFP – Getty
      He told lawyer Matias Morla in a letter that he wanted a similar tribute to Russian leader Vladimir Lenin, whose preserved body has been on show in Moscow’s Red Square since 1924.
      Maradona’s letter, signed on October 13 — weeks before his death from a heart attack — says: “After a deep analysis I want to express my wish that after my death my body be embalmed and exhibited in said museum, surrounded by my maximum trophies, personal objects and beloved memories to continue receiving the affection of the people from that place.’’
      Mario Baudry, lawyer for the 1986 World Cup winning skipper’s last partner Veronica Ojeda, outlined the idea of exhuming the body from Bella Vista cemetery near Buenos Aires.

      He added: “The plan is to create a mausoleum somewhere for fans to visit.

      “It was something Maradona had also discussed with his brothers.
      “The proposal we have is serious, concrete and with the expenses covered but ultimately it would be the responsibility of the football federation.”
      Prosecutors in Argentina are investigating the possibility that medical negligence played a role in Maradona’s death.

      Maradona died of heart failure at his home in Buenos Aires aged 60Credit: Alamy Live News

      Vladimir Lenin’s embalmed body has been on show in Moscow’s Red Square since 1924Credit: AP:Associated Press

      Maradona’s lawyer has demanded a top-level probe into the emergency response to his deathCredit: AFP – Getty

      Diego Maradona’s relatives begin battle over his £37million fortune
      GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk More

    • 238 Shares199 Views

      in Soccer

      Intimate photos of Premier League aces Diego Costa and Gabriel Jesus found in BIBLE handed in at charity shop

      by

      INTIMATE photos of Man City ace Gabriel Jesus and former Chelsea striker Diego Costa were found in a Bible handed in at a charity shop.
      Both players appeared topless with the same mystery woman in snaps unearthed last week.

      An intimate photo of former Chelsea striker Diego Costa was found in a Bible handed in at a charity shop

      Another snap showed Man City ace Gabriel Jesus shirtless with the same woman

      The Bible was in one of two bags handed in by a woman to a charity shop in Marylebone, Central London.
      A source said: “The pictures were instantly recognisable as Jesus and Costa – and both were with the same woman.
      “They were both laughing and seemed incredibly relaxed in her company while larking around on pillows without their shirts on.
      “The pictures appear to have been taken at different times.

      “The charity shop normally gets jigsaws and second-hand clothes, so this was certainly a change from that.”
      Two bags were handed in during May, but the snaps were not spotted until staff started sorting them last week.

      One snap showed a heavily tattooed Jesus pulling a face for the camera

      The Bible was in one of two bags handed in by a woman to a charity shop in Marylebone, Central LondonCredit: © David Dyson – The Sun
      The source said: “A woman of Spanish or Latin appearance dropped off the bags.
      “She said a friend left the UK and wanted to get rid of a few bits and pieces.

      “The woman who brought the bags in has never been back so no one knew what to do with the pics.”
      It is not known when the photographs were taken.
      Heavily tattooed Brazilian forward Jesus, 23, joined Man City in 2017 and split from model Fernanda Queiroz earlier this year.
      The devout Christian was missing from City’s squad against Southampton yesterday.
      A source previously said: “Jesus decided to end the relationship to focus on his career.”

      Costa played for Chelsea for three years from 2014 and is now at Atletico MadridCredit: Reuters

      Brazilian forward Jesus joined Man City in 2017Credit: Getty Images – Getty

      Brazilian-born Costa, 32, played for Chelsea for three years from 2014 and is now at Atletico Madrid.
      He is married with two daughters and there is no suggestion he cheated on his wife.
      In 2014, The Sun on Sunday revealed he was dumped by Brazilian model girlfriend Michele Zuanne after she caught him trying to bed her sister.

      Jesus split from model Fernanda Queiroz earlier this yearCredit: Instagram @dejesusoficial

      Cheeky Diego Costa trick young mascot in hilarious pre-Atletico Madrid friendly video
      GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk More

    • 225 Shares179 Views

      in Boxing

      Luke Campbell has to leave family at Christmas as he looks forward to Ryan Garcia cracker in January

      by

      FATHER CHRISTMAS Luke Campbell has cancelled his big day to secure a ‘fistive’ end to a miserable 2020.
      Hull’s 2012 Olympic hero lost most of the year waiting for a third lightweight world title crack, only for the pandemic to ruin his April bid for the WBC crown.

      Luke Campbell will face Ryan Garcia on January 2

      Luke Campbell has had to leave his family behind ahead of his showdown with Ryan GarciaCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

      But Campbell, 33, saved his season with a high-profile shot at new Mexican-American golden boy Ryan Garcia — for the interim belt — on January 2.
      The bad news is the dedicated daddy of schoolboys Leo and Lincoln — and three-month-old baby son Levi — has to jet out to Dallas in the next 72 hours, ending his hopes of a dream Christmas day.
      He told SunSport: “It is hard. But I have to keep reminding myself that what I am doing is all for my family.
      “I want to be a world champion for me, I have to be selfish in how I live my life.

      “But the extras that come with being a world champion are for my family, so they will be secure and free to find much easier jobs than being punched in the face for a living!
      “I have been away in camp for so many months now, it was only during the first lockdown where I got some time at home, so at least now I know the light is coming at the end of the tunnel.”
      Campbell’s first world title failure took place in California in 2017, where he felt Jorge Linares got generous decisions from the two American judges, who outnumbered the Brit official who had Campbell winning.
      This time, back in the US against their latest 22-year-old sensation, Campbell knows — like Callum Smith last night against Canelo Alvarez in Texas — that the odds are stacked against him.

      Campbell said: “I try not to think about whether I need a knockout or stoppage. But I would be kidding myself if I did not think it has to be convincing.
      “All I can do is try to keep it out of the judges’ hands.”
      Garcia is 20-0, but Campbell added: “I will find him out. Unless he really is this unbelievable talent and has been dedicated for his whole life — like I have — I will be coming back with a win and I will go on to become world champion.”

      Luke Campbell clash with Ryan Garcia to launch DAZN UK on December 19 More

    • 238 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      EFL wage cap threatens to turn yo-yo clubs into boomerangs – the repercussions for promotion and relegation are immense

      by

      IT IS certainly no accident that Norwich, Bournemouth and Watford fill the three top spots in the Championship.
      It is mainly down to the quality of the players they managed to hang on to after all three were relegated from the Premier League last season.

      It’s no surprise Norwich are top of the ChampionshipCredit: Rex Features

      Plenty of clubs have squandered their top-flight legacy, from Blackpool to Wigan, Bolton — poor battered old Bolton — to Sunderland, once known as ‘the Bank of England club’.
      Increasingly, though, clubs have yo-yo’d between the top two divisions. Now proposals from the EFL inadvertently threaten to weaponise the yo-yo into a boomerang.
      I can see the day when the same three clubs perennially fly back and forth from the Championship.
      The reason? That Championship clubs are being asked to consider annual total player salaries to be set at £18million-a-season, with a £720,000-a-year limit on each player.

      That includes tax, agents’ fees, signing-on fees and loyalty bonuses.
      This is about £12k-a-week and the repercussions are immense.
      Your team go down and you will need to sell some of your players to survive, but will only be able to replace them with players on £12k-a-week.
      This is a real leveller and leads to massive inequalities in a squad.

      Clubs like Watford could soon be boomeranging to and from the Championship Credit: Rex Features

      Your team goes up and you now have to play in the Premier League with players on £12k-a-week.
      Even after television payments, the financial problems for promoted teams will be huge.
      Imagine Bournemouth (home attendance 11k) with all of their highest-paid players on a weekly maximum of £12k, promoted to a league where the average might well be £60k.
      What kind of contribution can these teams make to the greatest league in the world?
      Even brilliant financial balancing cannot overcome the twin obstacles of rising with a team made up of pay-capped staff, followed by the instant shock of the cost of the irresistible uplift in wages and the exposure to some of the best sides in the world.
      So, I can offer one certainty — life, already tenuous for past promoted trios, would be a tightrope walk above a relative Niagara Falls.
      Without a balance pole.
      The EFL also has plans to monitor wage bills in real time, which will give them a veto to stop you signing someone if they think you are outside the wage cap.
      WISHFUL THINKING
      If you do fall foul of it they will be able to apply in-season sanctions, a fine of £3 for each £1 overspend and potential deductions of between three and 12 points.
      In case this last line reads like something Comrade Xi Jinping would impose, it does to me too. That points deduction is wishful thinking.
      There would be less than no chance of it being applied in the Premier League to a promoted club.
      There is also a danger that in the long run the Championship will drop in quality and therefore value, making it less attractive to top clubs to loan young players.
      In coronavirus times, it is proper that the EFL should be trying to protect the future of their clubs. But they must be careful not to squeeze out ambition.
      If you have an owner with £100m who wants to invest it in a Championship team, to get promoted to the Premier League, they won’t be able to as their money counts for nothing more than £12k-a-week players.
      Promotion and relegation are the oxygen of our game. It may be that the Rich Six wish to be involved in higher realms, but wherever they go one thing is for certain.
      It won’t be to the Championship, as was comically proposed in the doomed Project Big Picture, as none of their players will take 12k-a-week!

      Man Utd star Marcus Rashford takes on child food poverty in new BBC documentary Feeding Britain’s Children More

    • 238 Shares149 Views

      in Soccer

      Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho aims another cheeky dig at Jurgen Klopp after Liverpool rival named Fifa coach of year

      by

      JOSE MOURINHO aimed a cheeky dig at Jurgen Klopp over his surprise Fifa coach of the year gong.
      The Liverpool boss scooped the prize ahead of treble-winning Bayern Munich chief Hansi Flick, considered by Mourinho and many others as the favourite.

      Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho were involved in a touchline row this week – and the Spurs boss has taken aim again

      Asked about Klopp’s award, the Tottenham boss said: “I think the only chance for Flick to win is if Bayern find two or three new competitions for him to win!
      “So maybe if he wins seven titles in one season, maybe he wins the award.
      “I believe he only won the Champions League, Bundesliga, Pokal — the name of their cup — European Super Cup, German Super Cup.
      “He only won five — and the biggest one of all.

      “Poor Flick. I think the only chance is for Bayern to find two or three more trophies to see if he can win it.”
      Klopp lifted the Premier League with Liverpool last season, ending the club’s 30-year top-flight title drought.
      And in fairness to him, Klopp said he expected the award to go to his fellow German Flick.

      Strong words between Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho at full-time after Liverpool’s late winner against Spurs More

    • 238 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Sergio Aguero reveals he is still struggling to recover from knee injury with Man City star battling for fitness

      by

      SERGIO AGUERO admits he is struggling with his return from knee surgery.
      The Manchester City legend went under the knife in late June and has started only three games since.

      Man City star Sergio Aguero is yet to score this season and admitted he’s struggling with his return from knee surgeryCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      And the Argentina striker, 32, says he does not know from one day to the next how the knee is going to feel — which will strike fear into the hearts of City fans.
      Each time Aguero has returned to Pep Guardiola’s side, it has been followed by a setback. And the Etihad club’s 256-goal all-time leading scorer said: “It’s difficult. Sometimes my knee is good, sometimes a little bit bad.
      “I am doing everything to help the physio and medical staff to help me improve — I need a little bit of time.”
      Guardiola revealed Aguero had missed a day of training this week after playing the final 14 minutes of Tuesday’s 1-1 home draw with struggling West Brom.

      But the City boss is adamant it was nothing to do with the knee problem.
      And City will leave it until the last minute to decide if Aguero can play some part against in-form Southampton at St Mary’s on Saturday.
      Guardiola said on Friday: “Sergio could not train on Thursday and today he trained really well but I don’t know how many minutes he can play.
      “It’s important he can make training sessions.

      The Argentine was a late replacement against West Brom this weekCredit: Reuters

      “After the game it was nothing about the knee, it was another thing — but today he was training.”
      Pep also warned born-again John Stones he must not let his standards drop again.
      The £47.5million defender, 26, lost his way at the Etihad early in 2019 and is only just recapturing his best form.
      Guardiola added: “His personal life, now it’s settled, is much better.

      If he can avoid injuries he can be the player we’ve always believed he can be
      Pep Guardiola

      “What he’s gained in the way he lives his life and takes care of himself — his body, mind — he’s got to keep for ten years, 12 years.
      “If he can avoid injuries he can be the player we’ve always believed he can be.
      “He’s given us a good feeling but it’s just two or three games.”
      Stones has 18 months on his City contract and now has the opportunity to earn an extension beyond summer 2022.
      Pep said: “His attitude was always the same but we see him happier and stronger now and that helps a lot.”

      Sergio Aguero and Man City deliver Christmas presents to kids as club fund 5,500 gifts and 500 three-course meals More

    • 200 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp slams ten Premier League clubs who voted against five sub rule introduction

      by

      JURGEN KLOPP blasted the ten clubs who rejected the use of five subs for a third time.
      Aston Villa, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Leeds, Leicester, Newcastle, Sheffield United, West Ham and Wolves all voted against five subs.

      Jurgen Klopp wants the Premier League to allow each team to make five subsCredit: Alamy Live News

      It means the Prem is the only top division in Europe not allowed them.
      Clubs did opt to increase the number of players on the bench to nine as the row over player welfare rumbles on.
      But Liverpool boss Klopp, who won the Fifa Best Coach award this week, said: “I don’t think it’s a compromise.
      “Everybody knows my thoughts. Everyone knows ten clubs voted against it.

      “There must be a good reason for it. Every club wants to stay in the league and some want to win the league.
      “This is not about advantages or competition, only about player welfare. And they voted against it.
      “Pretty much everyone else in the world has five subs but here we are pretty much the only league to do it differently.”
      Chelsea boss Frank Lampard thinks he will be accused of ‘whining’ by voicing his concerns.

      Frank Lampard also believes that the PL should allow more substitutionsCredit: PA:Press Association

      He said: “Normally, I think the modern-day player welfare, employee welfare, comes out on top. I don’t think it quite has this time but the decision has been made and we need to carry on.
      “It’s a difficult one to talk about because people think you’re whining too much. I just thought it was something that would help player welfare and it hasn’t got through.
      “It’s a case of making sure that we are looking after the players and giving them the best opportunity to perform at an optimum level and not putting them at risk.
      “We play two games in two days over Christmas so it would have been really beneficial for player welfare.”

      Five subs gives you more options to change it again if you feel your players are tired or in danger of getting injured
      Frank Lampard

      Tuesday’s defeat at Wolves was Chelsea’s third game without a win.
      Lamps said: “We looked tired but it was hard for me to make that last sub.
      “Five subs gives you more options to change it again if you feel your  players are tired or in danger of getting injured.
      “Some clubs decided it was in their better interests not to have the subs. That overrode what we felt.”
      Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola added: “Some agree, some don’t. We’ll go with it.”

      Jurgen Klopp says it was a massive three points against Tottenham after last minute 2-1 win More