More stories

  • in

    Real Madrid ‘discover Erling Haaland’s transfer release clause’ as club set Kylian Mbappe strict deadline over move

    REAL MADRID are still interested in signing Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, according to reports.Los Blancos have been monitoring the Norway international for several years.
    Real Madrid are still interested in signing Erling HaalandCredit: Getty
    Los Blancos have given Kylian Mbappe until mid-January to decide whether or not he wants to joinCredit: Getty
    They attempted to sign him from Borussia Dortmund last summer, but City won the transfer race.
    Haaland enjoyed a record-breaking first season in England, winning the treble with Pep Guardiola’s side.
    He also scored the most goals in a single Premier League campaign, surpassing Andy Cole and Alan Shearer.
    The striker’s incredible form has intensified interest from elsewhere, with Real Madrid now exploring the possibility of a transfer.
    Read More on Football
    And according to Spanish outlet AS, the LaLiga giants are already aware of his release clause.
    Haaland allegedly has a £171.6million (€200m) release clause in his contract that will become active next year.
    However, the value of the clause is set to decrease in every transfer window beyond 2024 until his contract expires in 2027.
    Real Madrid are also keeping a close eye on Kylian Mbappe’s current situation at Paris Saint-Germain.
    Most read in Football
    CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFER
    Haaland is enjoying another promising campaign with Man City
    Mbappe is currently the top goalscorer in Ligue 1
    Mbappe’s deal expires in June, but he could decide to trigger a one-year extension.
    The Frenchman is yet to make a decision on his future, but AS report that Real Madrid want an answer by January 15.
    Los Blancos will have the chance to open talks with Mbappe next month regarding a potential free transfer.
    Should the forward green-light a move, Real Madrid intend to act quickly by handing his agent a contract proposal.
    The La Liga giants attempted to sign Mbappe in 2022, but he shocked the world by penning a two-year extension with PSG instead.
    He also turned down a world-record offer from Al-Hilal this summer after the Saudi Pro League side had a £259million bid accepted. More

  • in

    Liverpool legend Dirk Kuyt reveals he snubbed deadline day Premier League transfer a year before Anfield move

    DIRK Kuyt has revealed he snubbed a move on deadline day to a Premier League club before he became a Liverpool legend.Kuyt, now 43, was signed by the Reds for a fee of around £9million in 2006.
    Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt was a cult hero at AnfieldCredit: AP:Associated Press
    Kuyt, who is now a coach, revealed he could have joined Spurs insteadCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    However, a year before he could have been turning out for a different club.
    The Dutch forward claimed that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy tried to convince him to join Spurs.
    Levy made the call on transfer deadline day, and urged him to make the switch.
    But Kuyt decided against the move because he didn’t want to leave Feyenoord without a replacement.
    Read more football news
    One year before I left for Liverpool, I was able to go to Tottenham Hotspur on the last day of the transfer market”, Kuyt told the KieftJansenEgmondGijp podcast.
    “Spurs chairman Daniel Levy called, he wanted me.
    “I thought that was a very strange moment to leave Feyenoord behind. Leaving Feyenoord without a striker, albeit with a bag of money.
    “Then [agent] Rob Jansen and I decided together not to do that.”
    Most read in Football
    Kuyt played for Liverpool until 2012, appearing 286 times and scoring 71 goals.
    He quickly became a fans’ favourite because of his work ethic.
    However, his stay at Liverpool wasn’t trophy-laden – winning just the EFL Cup.
    CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFER
    He left for Fenerbahce, where he won the league and became a hero in Turkey.
    Kuyt spent his final playing years back at Feyenoord, helping the club win the Eredevisie in his last season as a professional.
    Today, he is still in football – and is the current boss of Turkish Super Lig side Konyaspor. More

  • in

    Jesse Lingard was offered FOUR-YEAR deals by two Premier League clubs but picked Nottingham Forest and now unemployed

    JESSE LINGARD rejected TWO Premier League offers before joining Nottingham Forest last year, according to reports.After being released by Manchester United at the end of the 2021/22 season, Lingard was linked with a return to West Ham – where he had enjoyed an impressive loan spell.
    Jesse Lingard struggled during his one season at Nottingham ForestCredit: EPA
    However, he ended up joining newly-promoted Forest on a lucrative one-year deal.
    Now The Athletic have revealed he turned down a pair of four-year contracts from Newcastle and Fulham.
    And his decision to reject them in favour of Forest proved to be a poor one.
    Lingard, 31, registered just two goals and two assists in 20 matches.
    READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
    All four of those goal involvements came in the Carabao Cup as Forest narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League with a 16th place finish.
    Meanwhile, Newcastle secured a Champions League spot, while Fulham also earned themselves a place in the top half.
    Lingard was released by Forest in the summer after a dismal spell at the City Ground.
    And after six months as a free agent, he remains without a club.
    Most read in Football
    CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFER
    Lingard’s move to the City Ground did not work out
    After training with West Ham, he turned his back on a move to the London Stadium to jet off to Saudi Arabia.
    Lingard began getting in shape with Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq, before they opted against offering him a contract.
    Earlier this month, he shared a video showing he is continuing to train while he searches for a club. More

  • in

    Real Madrid eye transfer for Jude Bellingham’s younger brother Jobe, 18, who is making his mark at Sunderland

    JOBE BELLINGHAM could follow his brother to Real Madrid, according to reports.Los Blancos splashed out £115million to land Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund in the summer.
    Sunderland teenager Jobe Bellingham is a transfer target for Real MadridCredit: Getty
    The 20-year-old has enjoyed a simply stunning start to life in Spain with his new adoring followers already celebrating 16 goals and five assists in his first 19 appearances.
    But if one Bellingham superstar wasn’t enough for Carlo Ancelotti, it is understood he has started making preparations to sign a second – including sending scouts to watch the teenager in action.
    Like Jude, Jobe came through the youth academy at hometown club Birmingham City.
    But the 18-year-old left St Andrew’s in the summer to join Sunderland.
    READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
    The England youth international has already racked up four goals for the Championship side as they look to win promotion back into the Premier League.
    However, according to Sport in Spain, Real Madrid are considering a transfer swoop.
    It is said they want to sign the younger Bellingham sibling before he gets snapped up by a big Premier League side, recognising it will be harder and more expensive to lure him to the Bernabeu from a top English team.
    Jobe is similar in style to his award-winning older brother – also playing in central midfield and able to get forward to create goals.
    Most read in Football
    Some insist he is more versatile than Jude and could become an even better player than the 2023 Golden Boy.
    Jobe himself said: “I know how to find space in the area.
    “With the skills I have I can play in different positions and I can learn more things, it is something that will benefit me in my career.”
    Off the pitch, Jude has been praised for his maturity and humble approach to the media and a very public life in the limelight.
    And Jobe seems to have benefited from the same grounding growing up with parents Denise and Mark.
    Dad and agent Mark met with Real Madrid to negotiate the huge summer transfer from Dortmund.
    And now it is reported that he is living with son Jobe in Sunderland while mum Denise is with Jude in Madrid.
    So any deal to take Jobe across to Spain as well would not only be yet another huge moment for the family – but also a chance for them to be reunited once more.
    Jude Bellingham is loving life at the Bernabeu following his summer switchCredit: Getty
    The Bellinghams could be reunited in Madrid if Jobe completes his switch More

  • in

    Chelsea in shock transfer move for Arsenal outcast Aaron Ramsdale after Robert Sanchez hit by injury

    CHELSEA are preparing to step up their pursuit of Arsenal keeper Aaron Ramsdale after Robert Sanchez suffered an injury during the Blues’ 2-0 defeat to Everton.Spaniard Sanchez, 26, has started all 16 Premier League games for Mauricio Pochettino’s side so far this season following the departure of Edouard Mendy to Al-Ahli and Kepa Arrizabalaga’s loan to Real Madrid.
    Aaron Ramsdale is being linked with a move across London in the January windowCredit: Getty
    Robert Sanchez suffered an injury in Chelsea’s defeat to EvertonCredit: Getty
    However, he now faces a period on the sideline after picking up a knee problem and being replaced in the 84th minute at Goodison Park on Sunday.
    Summer arrival Djordje Petrovic, who joined from New York Revolution, came on for the closing stages of the game.
    And the Serbian, 24, looks set to make his Premier League debut at home to Sheffield United on Saturday.
    But Pochettino is keen to bolster his squad in the January window and a keeper now looks to be on his wishlist.
    READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
    It comes as Chelsea struggle for results as they sit 12th in the Premier League table with just five wins from their opening 16 games.
    Arsenal shot-stopper Ramsdale, 25, has been benched since the early stages of the new campaign following the arrival of David Raya from Brentford.
    The England international has featured in just five of the Gunners’ 16 league matches.
    Mikel Arteta is thought to be reluctant to let him leave in the mid-season window as it would leave him with 21-year-old Karl Hein as his back-up keeper.
    Most read in Football
    FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS & NEW CUSTOMER BONUSES
    Aaron Ramsdale has made just five Premier League appearances so far this season
    But talkSPORT understand Chelsea are keen to acquire Ramsdale as they join Newcastle in monitoring his situation.
    The Arsenal man was signed by Arteta in 2021 as he moved from Sheffield United for £30million.
    He has played 87 games for the club, conceding 96 goals and keeping 32 clean sheets. More

  • in

    Saudi transfer chief breaks silence on Mo Salah move with Liverpool star sent fresh offer

    MOHAMED SALAH is unlikely to leave Liverpool in January, according to the Saudi Pro League’s director of football.Salah, 31, was heavily linked with a move to Saudi Arabia in the summer.
    Mo Salah is expected to stay at Liverpool in JanuaryCredit: PA
    Al-Ittihad launched a £170million bid for the winger on transfer deadline day, but it was turned down by Liverpool.
    The Saudi side then proposed another last-gasp offer worth over £200m, but the Reds refused to budge.
    Some reports suggested that Saudi Pro League officials were prepared to try again for the winger in January.
    However, director of football Michael Emenalo believes a transfer is unlikely.
    Read More on Football
    He told Sky Sports News: “Mo Salah, like [Lionel] Messi, [Karim] Benzema, [Cristiano] Ronaldo and the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, these are players that when there is a sense of availability for them, we are willing to listen.
    “But we also understand that Mo is happy where he is at present and in a historic, wonderful club at Liverpool. We respect that very much and we don’t want to come across as putting any pressure on him.
    “But if there is any interest to do something, Mo Salah is a player that you want in your league, in any league.
    “We respect Liverpool and in this scenario, the initiative to do anything won’t come from us. There has to be an aligned interest from all parties involved.
    Most read in Football
    FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS & NEW CUSTOMER BONUSES
    “It’s a very personal thing, as a player that I recruited [for Chelsea] and I like. There’s nothing I’m saying that is new or ground-breaking. If Mo Salah is available, has an interest to come and everything is aligned, I would be incredibly delighted.”
    Salah has 18 months remaining on his current Liverpool contract.
    The winger joined the Reds in 2017 and has since scored 200 goals and provided 87 assists in 327 appearances. More

  • in

    Man Utd warned off ‘wasting money’ on transfer for former Arsenal ace who ‘won’t improve the squad’

    MANCHESTER UNITED have been warned against signing Borussia Dortmund forward Donyell Malen.The Red Devils have been heavily linked with a swoop for Malen this month.
    Donyell Malen has been linked with a move to Man UtdCredit: Getty
    Dwight Yorke is not convinced that Malen would be a good signing for the Red DevilsCredit: Getty
    Borussia Dortmund are reportedly willing to include the 24-year-old in a swap deal for Jadon Sancho, who is expected to leave Old Trafford in January.
    However, ex-United striker Dwight Yorke has urged his former club against signing him.
    Yorke told Instant Casino: “I’ve not seen much of Donyell Malen, but I know he’s scored a few goals in the Bundesliga.
    “I haven’t seen enough of him to make a judgement on him, but he seems to be an alright player.
    Read More on Man Utd
    “United can’t waste money signing players who won’t improve the squad. I’m an aspiring coach, and that’s the first thing I take into consideration before I sign anyone.
    “If this player doesn’t raise the level of the position he’s playing in, then the team will continue on the same path.
    “United need to sign players who will be comfortable with the pressure of the club and who will help them win football matches.
    “A good player performs even when the rest of the team isn’t. We’re not seeing that in the current squad. Scott McTominay is the only one who looks as if he has a fire in his belly.
    Most read in Football
    FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS & NEW CUSTOMER BONUSES
    “Good players can influence matches even when the team looks down and out. None of the current players look a threat and they all look fragile.
    “It’s hard to see any of these players producing something extraordinary, but every team needs individuals like that.
    “Football is always easier when you’re playing well, but you really know about players when they’re not. That’s where to find out how good they really are.
    “I could play in this City side with ease, but you find out who can really play when the chips are down. That’s when you find out who wants the ball and who shies away from it – that’s when true characters are revealed.”
    Malen left Arsenal to join PSV Eindhoven at the age of 18 in 2017.
    He spent three years with the Eredivisie side before joining Borussia Dortmund.
    The forward has since scored 24 goals and provided 16 assists in 94 appearances for the Bundesliga giants. More

  • in

    Alan Shearer urges Newcastle to pursue £80million striker transfer in January with Toon ‘needing another option’

    NEWCASTLE legend Alan Shearer believes his former club should sign Ivan Toney in January.The Brentford striker has not played at all this season as he is currently serving an eight-month ban for betting breaches.
    Alan Shearer reckons Newcastle should sign a new strikerCredit: Getty
    Ivan Toney could be available after serving his betting banCredit: Reuters
    Toney, 27, is allowed back on the pitch from January 17.
    And after scoring 20 Premier League goals last season, he has been linked with a departure from Brentford.
    Manager Thomas Frank recently conceded that the Bees “are a selling club if the right price is there.”
    Reports suggest that they could demand £80million for the striker.
    READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
    And Shearer believes Newcastle should make a move for Toney with the Toon still going strong in four competitions this season.
    He told The Rest is Football podcast: “I would, If I was in charge of recruitment.
    “I think he’s a really good player and I think he’s a really good option.
    “Newcastle need to improve in that department, they need another option in there, so I don’t think there will be any shortage of suitors for Toney.”
    Most read in Football
    FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS & NEW CUSTOMER BONUSES
    The one-time capped England international would compete with both Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak for a spot in the starting XI should he move to St James’ Park.
    Toney has also been linked with a switch to Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal.
    The trio are set for a transfer battle as revealed exclusively by SunSport. More