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    Man Utd ‘enter race to sign in-demand Monaco star to bolster midfield but face competition from Juventus’

    MANCHESTER UNITED have joined the race to sign Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana, according to reports.Erik ten Hag is eager to strengthen his squad amid United’s poor run of form.
    Man Utd have joined the race to sign Youssouf FofanaCredit: Getty
    And a new midfielder is understood to be on his list of priorities.
    The Red Devils signed Mason Mount in a huge £60million transfer from Chelsea in July, but the 24-year-old has been limited to just four Premier League starts so far this season due to injury.
    Sofyan Amrabat, Christian Eriksen, Amad Diallo and academy star Kobbie Mainoo have also been hit with injuries since the start of the season, while Donny van de Beek remains out of favour.
    Ten Hag is now on the hunt for a new midfielder to add to his ranks.
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    And according to French football reporter Fabrice Hawkins, Fofana is one of his top targets.
    Man Utd see the Frenchman as an ideal replacement for Casemiro, who has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford in recent weeks.
    Fofana’s current contract expires in 2025, so several clubs are monitoring his situation.
    Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus are in the race to sign him alongside Man Utd.
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    Fofana joined Monaco in a £13million transfer from Strasbourg in 2020 and has since made 152 appearances for the Ligue 1 side.
    He had the opportunity to join Nottingham Forest in the summer, but rejected a move before stating: “If you’re choosing between Monaco, Fulham and Nottingham, naturally I stay at Monaco.” More

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    Ex-Tottenham and West Ham star Matthew Etherington lands new job after managing just THREE games as Crawley boss

    MATTHEW ETHERINGTON has been named the new manager of Colchester.Etherington took over the U’s Under-21 side during the summer but stepped up to replace Ben Garner at the senior squad last month.
    Matthew Etherington has been named the new manager of ColchesterCredit: Rex
    This comes after Etherington left Crawley Town following three gamesCredit: PA
    The ex-Tottenham ace then led the League Two side to two wins and one draw in his first three matches in the third tier as caretaker boss.
    That convinced Colchester chairman Robbie Cowling and sporting director Dmitri Halajko to make the former West Ham ace’s appointment permanent.
    Etherington said: “I’m extremely pleased, and obviously grateful to the chairman and Dmitri for giving me this opportunity, and I’ll give everything I can to make sure this club is successful.
    “It’s been a decent start in terms of the league form, but we need to make sure we maintain that going forwards.
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    “I’m a big believer in ‘what will be will be’ and here we are. I’m really looking forward to it and I’ll give it everything I’ve got.”
    Etherington hit the headlines last year in December when he was sacked by Crawley Town after just three games in his first managerial job.
    However, the 42-year-old tactician’s fortunes completely changed at Colchester Community Stadium.
    Halajko said: “Matty has had a good response from the players and his league points’ return has been excellent as interim head coach.
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    “He’s a Pro Licence coach who has had experiences of first team coaching at other clubs, along with a playing career at the highest level.
    “These experiences will put Matty in a great position to be a successful at Colchester United.
    “He will now have the opportunity on a full-time basis and will have the full support at everybody at the club as we look to continue climbing up the league table.” More

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    Brighton chief reveals Roberto De Zerbi replacement plan as Seagulls boss linked with Real Madrid and Man City jobs

    BRIGHTON CEO Paul Barber revealed the club have a replacement plan lined up in case manager Roberto De Zerbi leaves.De Zerbi has taken the Seagulls to new heights since replacing Graham Potter at the helm last year, leading them to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League and straight to the Europa League.
    Brighton have a succession plan lined up for manager Roberto De ZerbiCredit: Getty
    Brighton want to hold on to De Zerbi, whose contract runs out in 2026Credit: Rex
    The Italian tactician’s impressive work at the Amex, though, has attracted interest from his home country, with Napoli and AC Milan keeping tabs.
    The 44-year-old has also been linked with some of Europe’s biggest clubs, such as Real Madrid and reports even suggest Manchester City have identified De Zerbi as Pep Guardiola’s eventual replacement.
    Brighton want to hold on to their boss for as long as possible, with his contract running out in 2026 – but Barber insists the Premier League outfit have a succession plan in place just like they did when Potter left for Chelsea.
    He told talkSPORT: “Good players and good staff will always be looked at by competitors, and we’re prepared for that, we’re realistic about that and we try to plan for those eventualities.
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    “When we unfortunately lost Graham Potter to Chelsea it was a difficult period, because you don’t want to lose your head coach one month into the season.
    “We always have a small list of coaches that we would look to move to if we had to, Roberto was top of that list.
    “So far things have worked really well, we’re enjoying what Roberto is doing for us and what this squad of players is delivering.
    “Roberto has done a fabulous job and I don’t think anyone in world football hasn’t seen the way he plays and the way we play.
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    “The biggest conundrum with our model is the better we do, the more vulnerable we become, because people look at what we’re doing, how we’re doing it, the people who are doing it for us, and they want them.
    “We’ve seen that many, many times, whether it’s Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool, Moises Caicedo and Graham Potter to Chelsea, Yves Bissouma to Tottenham, and staff we’ve lost along the way as well, Dan Ashworth to Newcastle – it’s on and off the field.

    “But I take that as a big compliment to the progress we’re making and it’s incumbent on me to make sure we’ve got succession plans in place to manage and overcome those bumps in the road.
    The better we do, the more vulnerable we becomeBrighton CEO Paul Barber
    “Because at the end of the day every football club will lose players and staff at some point, we just have to make sure we’re ready and prepared for it when it happens to us.”
    Asked if Brighton already have a replacement in mind in case De Zerbi leaves: “Absolutely.
    “That’s part and parcel of looking at the top 20 or 25 positions in our club all the time and identifying who’s vulnerable to being taken by somebody else or who may simply just want a change in lifestyle and making sure we know if that happened who would be coming in to replace them.
    “That might be an internal appointment or an external appointment, but the most important thing is that we have an idea who it would be.
    “There’s nothing worse than suddenly facing a change and then having a gap because you haven’t done the homework to consider who would replace that person. Preparation is critical.” More

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    Man Utd face losing SEVEN players worth £70m on free transfers ahead of January window

    MANCHESTER UNITED are at risk of losing seven out-of-contract stars in January.The Red Devils could have a busy transfer window with Jadon Sancho tipped to leave following his fallout with Erik ten Hag.
    Erik ten Hag could lose seven players due to their contract situationCredit: Getty
    Outcast Donny van de Beek may also move on, while United are at risk of losing seven players whose contracts expire in the summer.
    That is because foreign clubs will be able to approach them for talks over a free agent move.
    Some have played a key role for Ten Hag this season while others are youngsters with exciting futures.
    Here, SunSport takes a look at seven who could leave Old Trafford on free transfers.
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    Aaron Wan-Bissaka – £22m
    Wan-Bissaka signed a five-year deal when he joined the club in 2019.
    He initially lost his place under Ten Hag but impressed when he came back into the side and would likely have been a regular this season if not for injury.
    The right-back, 25, was bought for £50million so losing him on a free would be a big blow – but the Red Devils could trigger his one-year contract extension.
    United have a one-year extension clause in Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s contractCredit: Getty
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    Victor Lindelof – £16m
    The Swede, 29, has unexpectedly been given an ever-present role this season because of injures to Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane and Luke Shaw.
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    Lindelof scored the winner against Luton at the weekend and there will be no shortage of interest in the centre-back, who has been linked to Inter Milan.
    Erik ten Hag may be keen to keep Victor LindelofCredit: Getty
    Anthony Martial – £13m
    French striker, 27, has had a disastrous few years at United and has failed to live up to expectations following his £45m switch from Monaco.
    Martial was loaned out to Sevilla in 2021 but worked his way back into Ten Hag’s plans – only to get injured.
    Fitness problems have limited the forward’s game time and the club might be happy to let him leave for nothing to get his £250,000-a-week salary off the wage bill.
    Anthony Martial looks set to leave the clubCredit: Getty

    Hannibal Mejbri – £10m
    Highly-rated youngster has broken into the first-team under Ten Hag after United fought off interest in the summer to keep him.
    Borussia Dortmund are understood to have made an offer, as did Luton, so United may have to work hard to fend off suitors when the transfer window re-opens.
    Hannibal Mejbri has attracted transfer interest since breaking into the first-teamCredit: Getty
    Alvaro Fernandez – £6m
    The young left-back is on loan at Granada until the end of the season so United may not back a decision on his future until next summer.
    In the mean time clubs in his native Spain could try and make an approach for the 20-year-old, who made 39 appearances on loan at Preston last season.
    Alvaro Fernandez is on loan at GranadaCredit: Reuters
    Jonny Evans – £2m
    Veteran centre-back, 35, returned on a free transfer in the summer following eight years away.
    He has made eight appearances but is a back up and United may be happy to let him leave in the summer.
    Jonny Evans signed a one-year deal in the summerCredit: Alamy
    Foreign clubs will be able to speak to the United stars about a transfer in January
    Tom Heaton – £400k
    The third-choice goalkeeper was signed in 2021 but has made just three appearances for United.
    However Ten Hag may be keen to keep Heaton, 37, as he is considered to be one of the key leaders in the squad.
    Tom Heaton is part of a four-man leadership group at UnitedCredit: Getty More

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    Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Man Utd transfer plan dealt major blow as player ‘refuses to quit’ despite Cristiano Ronaldo help

    MANCHESTER UNITED have been hit with a transfer blow as they look to cash-in on Casemiro, according to reports. Sir Jim Ratcliffe is ready to take charge of football operations with him finalising his 25 per cent purchase of the club for £1.3billion.
    Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to buy 25 per cent of Man UtdCredit: PA
    Casemiro could be sold this January with Al-Nassr keenCredit: Reuters
    The billionaire is unhappy the club spent £70million on Casemiro prior to the start of last season.
    He supposedly slammed the decision to hand him a four-year deal on a rumoured £350,00-a-week in a meeting with chiefs John Murtough and the now sacked Richard Arnold.
    Amid the Brazilian midfielder struggling with form and injuries this season, Ratcliffe supposedly wants to sell Casemiro.
    Reports suggest that Saudi Arabian clubs will once again look to raid Premier League teams during the January transfer window.
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    And Casemiro, 31, is high on Al-Nassr’s radar and they are one of the few clubs that could offer him similar wages to his United contract.
    However, reporter Ben Jacobs claims the player does not want to leave Old Trafford.
    This is despite Casemiro having the chance to play with Cristiano Ronaldo again.
    The pair are close pals from their days at Real Madrid and Man Utd.
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    They won four Champions Leagues and two LaLiga titles together in Spain.
    Casemiro’s ex-international team-mate Alex Telles also currently plays for Al-Nassr.
    They are currently second in the table behind Al-Hilal. More

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    Arsenal face losing THREE stars worth £20m on free transfer ahead of January transfer window

    ARSENAL face losing three stars worth millions on free transfers.Jorginho, Mohamed Elneny and Cedric Soares are all approaching the end of their contracts.
    Jorginho could leave Arsenal for freeCredit: Getty
    Mohamed Elneny’s contract is also coming to an endCredit: Getty
    Cedric Soares is also running out of time at the Emirates StadiumCredit: Getty
    The trio are worth a combined £20million according to the latest data by TransferMarkt, which could leave the Gunners out of pocket.
    Jorginho, 31, only joined Arsenal on a two-year contract in January in a £12m deal with Chelsea.
    The Italian was signed as an alternative to Moises Caicedo for the remainder of the 2022/23 season.
    He had fallen down the pecking order after the Gunners signed Declan Rice in the summer.
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    However, an injury to Thomas Partey and question marks over his long-term future has seen the midfielder’s game time increase.
    Jorginho is reportedly worth £13m, which would be a significant boost to Mikel Arteta’s transfer fund should they be able to find a buyer.
    But in January, Jorginho will be free to negotiate with foreign clubs over a pre-contract which would see him leave the Emirates for free next summer.
    However, there is an option for his contract to be extended by a further year this could in turn see Arsenal command a fee for the player.
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    He has already been linked with moves to the likes of Lazio, AC Milan and his former side Napoli.
    Arsenal could also miss out on a transfer fee for Portuguese defender Soares.
    He joined the club in January 2020 on an initial loan from Southampton.
    His move was made permanent that summer but he has only gone on to make 33 Premier League appearances for the club.
    For the second half of last season, he was out on loan at Fulham.
    Since returning to the Gunners he has only made one competitive appearance which was in the EFL Cup win over Brentford.
    He is still worth a reported £2.6m, so a deal could be affordable for most clubs in Europe.
    The last player that could leave Arsenal for nothing is Elneny.
    The Egyptian midfielder has made three brief appearances for the club this season.
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    He is the North London side’s longest-serving player having first arrived seven years ago.
    Elneny is worth a reported £5.35m however with his past injury problems, the Gunners would do well to get that sort of fee for him. More

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    Haaland’s agent warns Man City to enjoy him while they can before transfer exit.. and here’s five clubs he could join

    ERLING HAALAND’S agent has warned that the superstar striker could leave Manchester City. The 23-year-old won the Treble during his first season at the club and already has 17 goals to his name this term.
    Erling Haaland’s agent hinted he could soon leave Man CityCredit: Getty
    Rafaela Pimenta claims a ‘change’ could happenCredit: INSTAGRAM/Rafaela Pimenta
    Despite enjoying life in Manchester, his agent Rafaela Pimenta revealed that the door is open to him leaving City in the future.
    When asked about reports linking him to other clubs like Real Madrid, she said: “Erling is the master of own destiny, always.
    “He will always do what’s good for him and for Man City.
    “When they all are open to make a change, it will happen.
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    “Erling will always be respectful. For sure respect has to be on both club and player side. I’ve no doubts, Man City will respect him.
    “If something has to happen one day, we will agree on every step together with the club. It’s always about respect.”
    Pimenta was asked if Haaland is happy at the Eithad, to which she replied: “You have to ask him. And this does not mean the opposite. I know he is, but I don’t like to speak for others.
    “I see it like this, the sporting result comes when things are good. When there is positivity, harmony, energy… things happen.”
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    On Haaland’s relationship with Pep Guardiola, she added: “You have to ask Erling this, but as far as I know, from the feedback I have, they get along very well.”
    The ex-Borussia Dortmund goalscorer’s dad Alf-Inge previously suggested his son wants to play across Europe, saying: “I think Erling wants to test out his capabilities in every league.
    “Then he can stay in every league for three to four years maximum.
    “He could have two-and-a-half years in Germany, two-and-a-half in England, and then in Spain, Italy, France, right?”
    Following Pimenta and his father’s comments, SunSport have taken a look at five club’s that could be Haaland’s next destination with him already conquering England and Germany.
    Real Madrid
    Karim Benzema departed in the summer for Al-Ittihad and was replaced by veteran striker Joselu.
    Real Madrid are expected to be in the market for a big-money attacker this summer with Kylian Mbappe heavily linked with the them.
    But if they decide not to sign the PSG star, Haaland could emerge as an alternative with Los Blancos reportedly ready to smash the transfer world record and bid £200million for him.
    Pimenta was recently spotted watching a game at the Santiago Bernabeu which caused speculation to rise.
    Barcelona
    Barcelona could be another LaLiga destination for Haaland.
    Current goalscorer Robert Lewandowski is still performing but is now aged 35.
    Barca could find it tough to raise the funds to tempt Haaland and City with the club battling financial difficulties.
    Juventus
    If Haaland wants to go to Serie A then Juventus could be his best.
    The Turin-based side tried to sign him when he was a teenager in 2017.
    But they decided not to push through the £2m deal they struck with Molde.

    Juventus are one of the only club’s in Italy that could potentially afford the Norwegian and they are reportedly open to selling striker Dusan Vlahovic should a good offer come in.
    PSG
    PSG have been the home to several of the world’s best players since they were taken over by Qataris in 2011.
    With Lionel Messi and Neymar gone, and Mbappe considering an exit, a gap could open up for Haaland to be the latest global star to land in Paris.
    Money is rarely a hurdle for the club and they are the only team in France that can afford him should he want to experience Ligue 1.
    Chelsea
    A shock City alternative could be Chelsea.
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    Mega-rich owner Todd Boehly has splashed the cash on a range of players but the Blues still lack a world-class striker.
    Unlike Manchester United, Chelsea are not rivals to Haaland’s current club and they could hand him an exciting new challenge should he want to stay in the Premier League.
    Erling Haaland has already taken the Premier League and Bundesliga by stormCredit: Getty More

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    Newcastle ‘plan monstrous Ederson transfer offer’ as Saudis look to make statement January signing

    NEWCASTLE are plotting a January swoop for Atalanta midfielder Ederson, according to reports.Eddie Howe’s squad has been ripped apart by injuries and suspensions in recent weeks.
    Eddie Howe is looking to bolster his squad in the January transfer windowCredit: Getty
    Atalanta’s Ederson, right, is on the Toon’s radar as a potential signingCredit: Reuters
    Ahead of their 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday, those unavailable included Alexander Isak, Callum Wilson, Sven Botman, Dan Burn, Harvey Barnes, Sandro Tonali and Jacob Murphy.
    Miguel Almiron was then replaced after half an hour with an injury of his own.
    And Swiss defender Fabian Schar withdrew from international duty on Wednesday due to a knock.
    It leaves Newcastle in a desperate situation with regards to the depth of their squad heading into a busy schedule.
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    They are still in all four competitions – the Premier League, Carabao Cup, Champions League and FA Cup.
    According to Tutto Atalanta, Newcastle are preparing to address those issues with a £35million bid for Brazilian holding midfielder Ederson, 24.
    The Magpies are understood to have made the “first approaches” to sign the player.
    And Atalanta are said to be calm about the situation as they eye a profit for the man they brought in from Salernitana for around £18m in January 2022.
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    The Italians will listen to “monstrous offers” that are “impossible to refuse”, but will not be entertained by any proposal less than £35m.
    It remains unclear whether a January sale is on the table, with Newcastle keen for mid-season reinforcements.
    Ederson has contributed five goals and one assists in 16 appearances so far this season.
    He is yet to make his debut for Brazil’s senior side, but has earned one cap for the U20s. More