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      Barcelona make Premier League manager top choice to replace Xavi but cash-strapped side may be put off by release clause

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      BRIGHTON boss Roberto De Zerbi is Barcelona’s top choice to be their new manager.But De Zerbi’s Seagulls release clause – said to be worth up to £10m – could prove a sticking point for the cash-strapped Catalan club.
      Xavi has already announced he will quit Barcelona at the end of the seasonCredit: EPA
      Roberto De Zerbi is wanted by BarcelonaCredit: Rex
      Reports in Spain claim De Zerbi has the support of key Barca figures to replace Xavi when the playing legend leaves the dugout at the end of this season.
      President Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco, the former Chelsea and Barcelona star, both want the fiery Italian.
      They love the Seagulls’ style of football under De Zerbi, his commitment to youth, and his personality.
      De Zerbi’s agents, Edmundo Kabchi and Edoardo Cnajr, met Deco in Barcelona last Wednesday.
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      Although the talks were originally scheduled in order to discuss a contract renewal for another of their clients, defender Ronald Araujo, it is believed there were discussions about De Zerbi’s availability.
      When he replaced Graham Potter at the Amex in October 2022, he signed a four-year deal.
      Brighton and their head coach have been in talks for a couple of months about an extension which might well include a larger release clause.
      But even the current amount would be a problem for Barca as the club continues to juggle its fragile finances.
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      Xavi himself spent millions buying himself out of his contract at Qatari club Al Sadd in order to take over at the Camp Nou.
      De Zerbi could attempt something similar if he were desperate to force a move to Barcelona.
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      But if the issue cannot be resolved, former Bayern Munich and Germany boss Hansi Flick is the Italian’s biggest rival for the job.
      Flick is now represented by super-agent Pini Zahavi, who has good connections with Barcelona and most recently managed to take Robert Lewandowski there from Bayern Munich. More

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      Cult hero signed by Premier League giants for £12m joins Doncaster City despite just one goal in six years

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      ROSS McCORMACK has joined his 13th club – despite scoring ONE goal in six years.The former Scottish international, 37, put pen to paper on a contract with Doncaster City, the non-league outfit confirmed on Friday night.
      Doncaster City announced the short-term arrival of Ross McCormackCredit: X @DoncasterCityFC
      The Central Midlands League North Division club posted a photoshopped image of McCormack wearing their sky-blue home shirt complete with Sondico branding and the Sports Direct sponsorship.
      It was part of a quadruple signing for Doncaster City – formed in 2022 by agent Willie McKay – who also landed Norwich hero Wes Hoolahan, former Celtic, Blackburn and Scotland defender Charlie Mulgrew and 40-year-old midfielder Scott McLaughlin.
      The club said three of the four veterans had joined for a “short period”.
      McCormack was without a club for two years between leaving Aldershot Town in 2021 and joining Liversedge in 2023.
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      However, it is understood the 13-cap Scotland international did not play a single match for Liversedge before having his contract ripped up last month.
      The striker broke through at Rangers before a loan spell at Doncaster Rovers in 2006.
      He then had spells with Motherwell and Cardiff before four successful years with Leeds where he scored 58 goals in 158 appearances.
      His goalscoring form continued at Fulham from 2014 to 2016 with 42 in 100 for the £11milllion man.
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      But he struggled at Aston Villa despite a big-money £12m transfer – not helped by a faulty electronic gate failing to open forcing him to miss training.
      The forward managed just three strikes in 24 games before loans to Nottingham Forest, Melbourne City, Central Coast Mariners and Motherwell.
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      McCormack managed an impressive 14 goals in 17 games for Melbourne City but his last goal came during the 2018-19 season Down Under with Central Coast Mariners.
      He found the net in a 1-1 draw against, ironically, Melbourne City, on October 27, 2018.
      But the striker – who has never played in the Premier League – will be desperate to rediscover his shooting boots at Doncaster City.
      Fans, though, are not holding out much hope for his stint in South Yorkshire.
      One said: “Signed for Liversedge in 2023, never put a kit on will more than likely do same for you guys, all the best.”
      Another wrote: “Guessing a very short period.”
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      A third added: “One goal in six years… at that level, good signing but it’s his level now.”
      And a final user commented: “What a flop.”
      McCormack enjoyed four years at Leeds where he scored 58 goalsCredit: Reuters
      He struggled form at Aston Villa and has one goal in six yearsCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

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      I’m related to Brazil legend Zico… now I’m making my own way at top European club and Man Utd even came calling

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      TOP clubs from around Europe are in the battle to sign wonderkid Eduardo Quaresma.The centre-back is a distant relative of Brazil legend Zico.
      Eduardo Quaresma has been linked with several top clubsCredit: AFP
      He is a distant relative of Brazil great ZicoCredit: Action Images – Reuters
      Zico, 70, is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in history.
      He earned 71 Brazil caps and was likened to Pele.
      And now Quaresma is trying to follow in his footsteps and already has several big clubs chasing his signature.
      Manchester United, Chelsea, Juventus and Inter Milan have all previously been linked with the centre-back.
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      Quaresma, 21, came through the ranks at Sporting Lisbon.
      The club’s academy has a reputation for nurturing top talents after bringing through the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Figo.
      After making his debut at the age of 18, Quaresma was then loaned out to Portuguese side Tondela and then he had a spell with Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim last season.
      He has now returned to Sporting and is a mainstay in the side, having played 25 times for the club.
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      However, unlike his famous relative Zico, the defender instead represents Portugal and not Brazil.
      He is still waiting for his first senior call-up, but he is a regular for their Under-21s.
      Zico has been asked about his connection to Quaresma, he said: “It is true that I have a Portuguese family, but I was not aware of this connection with the boy. 
      “I hope the boy is very successful, that he finds his place at the club, that he can make his dreams come true.
      “I sincerely hope that Eduardo brings much glory to Sporting and achieves success in his career. That’s what’s important.
      “It is also important that, regardless of your surnames, you continue to work.
      “The important thing is that he continues to dedicate himself and fight for his space, that he plays the football he knows.”
      Sporting Lisbon youngster’s debut goes ‘from heaven to hell in four minutes’ as team-mates rush to console him More

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      Chelsea make Ivan Toney No1 transfer target as Brentford hold out on club-record fee for striker

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      CHELSEA are planning a massive summer bid for Ivan Toney.SunSport understands the Brentford striker is seen as the “number one target” for their West London rivals.
      Chelsea are planning a summer move for Ivan ToneyCredit: Rex
      Mauricio Pochettino believes the Brentford forward can take his side ‘to the next level’Credit: Getty
      It is thought the Bees are holding out for a fee of over £80m for the striker, who has made a goalscoring return to the side following his gambling ban.
      To land Toney at such a price, Chelsea would need to offload a number of players in order to satisfy financial fair play requirements.
      But the side’s manager, Mauricio Pochettino, has told Blues owners Toney is a player who he thinks can take the side “to the next level”.
      Our source said: “Chelsea want Ivan Toney. Everyone knows Chelsea need a striker and, right now, he’s the best available striker in the Premier League.
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      “Pochettino has made it clear that if he is available, and that the club can make the deal happen, then they should move heaven and earth to get him. He believes Toney can transform his team, and can help deliver the goals to make them genuine title contenders again.”
      Arsenal have also been linked with a move for Toney as they look to bolster their attacking options.
      Details of the latest twist come just weeks after we exclusively revealed how Toney was “torn” over a January move.
      A source close to the player said Toney – previously banned for gambling offences – feels he has a “debt to repay” to Brentford and to the club’s manager Thomas Frank which means any move could be held off until the Summer.
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      The source said: “A lot of people assume Ivan will be on his way after Christmas, but no deal has been done – and nothing has been decided.
      “Ivan is torn over his future. Brentford have stood by him and the club have been brilliant. Part of him wants to help them by hitting the ground running straight away in January and scoring the goals which will ensure they stay in the Premier League.
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      “There are a lot of clubs interested in Ivan but his focus, for now, is getting back on the pitch at Brentford and doing the business for his manager Thomas Frank, to whom he feels he has a big debt to repay. The same goes for the fans.
      “He’s determined to get back in the England squad and Ivan fully believes in himself to make the first squad once he’s back playing football.”
      The source also said Brentford are under no pressure to sell their ace striker.
      “They don’t need the money,” the source said. “Toney is their player and they will only consider selling him if the offer is right for the club.” More

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      Raheem Sterling snubbed ‘eye-watering’ Saudi transfer offer that would have TREBLED Chelsea star’s £300k-a-week salary

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      RAHEEM STERLING reportedly snubbed an eye-watering transfer offer from Saudi Arabia last summer.The Chelsea winger could have become one of the three highest-paid players in the Saudi Pro League.
      Raheem Sterling turned down an eye-watering offer from Saudi Arabia last summerCredit: Rex
      However, he instead opted to remain at Stamford Bridge for another season.
      According to the Telegraph, Sterling received an offer from the Middle East that would have trebled his Chelsea wages.
      The 29-year-old reportedly earns £300,000-per-week at the West London club.
      He would have become one of the highest earners in the league behind Cristiano Ronaldo, the report adds.
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      Sterling opted to reject the approach, though, having had no intention of leaving Chelsea after just one season.
      The former England international joined the Blues from Manchester City in 2022 on a five-year deal.
      He went on to score nine goals across all competitions in his debut campaign.
      However, those goals were not enough to prevent a 14th placed finish, the club’s lowest since 1994.
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      Sterling has already racked up five goals and six assists in the league this term, though, with only Cole Palmer providing more goal contributions for Chelsea in the Premier League.
      He will be hoping to add to that tally against his old club on Saturday evening as Manchester City welcome Chelsea to the Etihad Stadium.
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      A win for Mauricio Pochettino’s side could see them jump from 10th to seventh in the table as they look to remain in European contention.
      Chelsea then have a chance to win their first trophy under Pochettino in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool next weekend.
      Sterling won the competition five times with City, including four triumphs in a row between 2018 and 2021. More

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      Wilfried Zaha lined up for shock Premier League transfer return after just 12 months

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      WILFRIED ZAHA could be making a shock return to the Premier League.The 31-year-old left Crystal Palace in the summer to join Turkish giants Galatasaray.
      Wilfried Zaha could be making a return to the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty
      Zaha played in all six of Galatasaray’s Champions League games this season
      And after just six months in Istanbul, rumours are swirling of the tricky winger returning to English football at the end of the season.
      According to talkSPORT, Zaha is attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs.
      The Ivorian was reportedly being courted by both West Ham and Aston Villa in January, but was reluctant to leave the Turkey after just half a season.
      However, it is understood that Zaha would be open to a return to the Premier League this summer after spending a full 12 months on the books at Galatasaray.

      Since making his move to the now Europa League outfit, Zaha has netted ten times and registered five assists in all competitions.
      The former Manchester United and Palace man had previously made over 300 Premier League appearances.
      A move to Aston Villa would see Zaha play under Unai Emery, who had previously been interested in signing the star when he was in charge of Arsenal back in 2019.
      The Gunners ultimately splashed £72million on Nicolas Pepe instead who is also now plying his trade in Turkey after he left North London for Trabzonspor on a free transfer this summer.
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      West Ham on the other hand are crying out for depth in attack and Zaha would provide an option that could play in any of the front three positions for David Moyes.
      Despite impressing for Galatasaray, Zaha was left out of the Ivory Coast squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.
      Wilfried Zaha says he has no regrets choosing Ivory Coast over England
      The 31-time international didn’t have a place in the squad and had to watch on as his nation won the tournament despite sacking their manager after a below par group stage showing. More

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      Mo Salah ‘will definitely LEAVE Liverpool in the summer’ says club legend who claims ‘deal’ is already in place

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      MO SALAH will leave Liverpool at the of the season, according to club legend Mark Lawrenson.The pundit is convinced a deal was struck last summer that would see the 31-year-old join a Saudi Arabian club.
      Mohamed Salah has been tipped to move to the Saudi Pro LeagueCredit: PA
      Al-Ittihad tried to prize Salah away from Anfield prior to the start of this season with a mega £170million bid, according to reports.
      Liverpool stood firm and refused to sell but a team from the Middle East could come back in with a £200m offer.
      With major change coming on Merseyside as Jurgen Klopp departs, it could also be Salah’s time to go.
      Lawrenson told Paddy Power: “100 per cent Mo Salah will definitely leave this summer.
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      “No matter what happens this season, I think there was a deal last summer.
      “He’ll go and play somewhere like Saudi Arabia and hopefully Liverpool get a massive fee and get a couple of players of the back of it. Salah will be a king in Saudi.
      “He could’ve gone last summer and stormed into Jurgen Klopp’s office and said ‘I want to go’ but he’s not done that.
      “The lads who have come in know that they’re fighting for their position which is great, as long as a couple of them don’t get injured. 
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      “You can see that Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz like playing with each other and they all scored a goal against Burnley, even Nunez.
      “When Salah goes, and I think he will go, Liverpool might go and get a few more players for those positions.” 
      Micah Richards says ‘I can’t believe Chelsea let him go’ as forgotten team-mate reveals what Mo Salah did in training
      Salah has not played since sustaining an injury at the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt last month.
      However, he is back in full training and could return against Brentford tomorrow. More

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      Sevilla ‘already RULE OUT signing Man Utd star on permanent deal’ after loan nightmare sees him play just 36 minutes

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      SEVILLA have already ruled out signing Hannibal Mejbri in a permanent transfer from Manchester United, according to reports.Hannibal, 21, joined the LaLiga side on loan last month after turning down a move to Everton.
      Sevilla have no intention to sign Hannibal Mejbri on a permanent dealCredit: Getty
      A £17.2million option to buy was added to his contract, but Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo claims Sevilla do not want to trigger it.
      The midfielder has been limited to just 36 minutes of football since moving to the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium.
      Hannibal fell out with Sevilla boss Quique Sanchez Flores less than two weeks after completing his transfer.
      Flores claimed he needed to understand “what it means” to represent Sevillistas.
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      The 59-year-old said: “After being with him, talking to him and having seen his first minutes in Girona, we are going to give him the necessary space to understand where he is, that he is at Sevilla and what it means.
      “He has to know where he is and we want to see him. We have spoken with him and we believe that he has to have some time to learn, we wanted to give him space, time for him to see things from the outside and then he will return to the squad.
      “In the end they are kids who have come and suddenly land in a huge club like Sevilla in circumstances of maximum demand. And they need a bit of location.
      “And that location may be seen better from the outside than from the inside. You should take a step to understand what we want.
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      “Let’s see if the boy applies himself and I think that in the end he will understand perfectly what we want.”
      Hannibal spent the 2022-23 season on loan at Birmingham and made 41 first team appearances.
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      He joined Man Utd from Monaco in 2019 and was handed his first team debut two years later.
      The midfielder has since made 13 senior appearances. More