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      Ex-Chelsea stars who left West London and became world class, like Kevin De Bruyne, Mo Salah and Declan Rice

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      EVERY time Kevin De Bruyne or Mohamed Salah put in a Man of the Match performance, Chelsea fans are hit with a pinch of ‘what might have been’.Unfortunately for Blues supporters, those two are now undisputed world superstars.
      De Bruyne has evolved into arguably the best midfielder on the planet since leaving ChelseaCredit: AFP
      Nathan Ake stars for Man City and HollandCredit: Getty
      But, before they reached their current elite level, they were once allowed to leave Stamford Bridge as underplayed, underachieving youngsters.
      And they’re not the only two either.
      We’ve taken a look at SIX players who could have been starring in West London, if they had not failed to make the grade at Chelsea before going on to become superstars elsewhere.
      It’s enough to make you weep… if you’re a Blues fan that is.
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      NATHAN AKE
      THE Dutch defender joined Chelsea’s youth ranks from Feyenoord in 2011, before moving to the senior squad a year later.
      But Ake made just seven appearances for the Blues in the Premier League and was loaned out to Reading, Watford and Bournemouth.
      Ake eventually found a permanent home on the south coast and became a star for the Cherries.
      Bournemouth fought hard to keep Ake for three years – in which he played over 100 times in the Premier League.
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      But with Manchester United and City both knocking, the Cherries eventually cashed in to the tune of £40m following their relegation in the summer.
      Now at the Etihad, Ake has helped Guardiola’s City to two Premier League title wins.
      KEVIN DE BRUYNE
      NOW quite possibly the best midfielder on the planet, it’s barely-believable De Bruyne was a Chelsea misfit.
      Having signed from Belgian side Genk in 2011-12, the now-Manchester City star played just two Premier League games for the Blues.
      On the periphery of the first-team squad, De Bruyne was loaned to Werder Bremen, before being sold to Wolfsburg for just £16.7m.
      There, De Bruyne’s class shone through and his career took off, joining City for £55million in 2015.
      The pass-master has won three Premier League trophies at City in easily the club’s greatest era.
      MOHAMED SALAH
      SALAH joined Chelsea from Basel in 2014 – but played just 13 times in the league, scoring twice.
      In 2015 and 2016, the Egyptian was loaned out to Fiorentina and Roma – before joining the latter permanently, in a deal worth around £11m.
      After just one season in the Italian capital, Liverpool were surprise suitors, bringing Salah back to the Premier League in a deal worth £36.7m.
      In his first season at the Reds, Salah broke the Premier League record for most goals in a 38-game season.
      In his second campaign, he won the Champions League.
      And in his third, Salah inspired Liverpool to Premier League success.
      Salah is now easily ranked as one of the world’s best forwards – and will always be the one who got away from Chelsea.
      Salah has gone from strength to strength since leaving ChelseaCredit: AFP
      DECLAN RICE
      THE England international and his family were all huge Blues and he must have thought he was well on his way of achieving his childhood dream of playing for them when he was signed to their academy.
      But the midfielder was released by Chelsea aged 14 back in 2013.
      The determined star was not to be deterred, and after a successful trial, he was quickly snapped up by West Ham.
      Rice has not looked back since and has progressed through the ranks in East London and broke into their first-team at the end of the 2016-17 season.
      He is now the stand-out performer for the Hammers on an almost weekly basis, and one of the first names on the team sheet for England.
      Those displays caught the eye of several big boys, including Arsenal and Manchester United, but it is Chelsea who desperately want him to return.
      Declan Rice was released by Chelsea aged 14 but is now a star at West HamCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      NEMANJA MATIC
      SIGNED from now-defunct Slovak side Kosice in 2009, Matic was tipped to become an attacking midfield superstar at the Blues.
      The Serbian midfielder had played just twice in the Premier League and was loaned out to Vitesse in Holland.
      But after two years – and a switch to a more defensive role – Matic was sold to Benfica as part of the 2011 deal that saw David Luiz arrive at Stamford Bridge.
      But after starring at Benfica, Chelsea splashed out £21m – nearly 20 times what they initially bought him for – to re-sign him in 2014.
      Matic would later join Man Utd in 2017 but has now reunited with Jose Mourinho at Roma.
      Nemanja Matic left and rejoined Chelsea for nearly 20 times the original feeCredit: Getty
      TARIQ LAMPTEY
      THE full-back is another one that got away after his departure from Chelsea in 2020.
      He joined their academy aged just eight and won a host of honours alongside the likes of Tammy Abraham and Reece James on their rise through the youth ranks.
      Tariq Lamptey has suggested that he moved away from Chelsea in order to take his career to the next level.  The 22-year-old is a product of the Blues youth development system, having joined the club when he was just 8-years-old.
      Lamptey was promoted to the Blues first-team in 2019 after the arrival of Lampard in the dug-out.
      But he failed to receive as much game time as some of his other fellow academy graduates, making just one Premier League appearance for the club last season. 
      Brighton came in for Lamptey and Chelsea were happy to do business and cash-in on the youngster for £4m on deadline day.
      But since then he has blossomed for the Seagulls with a series of stunning displays, leading to speculation he could even be on the verge of a senior international call-up.
      Arsenal were linked with a swoop for the starlet, who Chelsea failed to include a buy-back option as part of his exit, but he committed his future to Brighton last year by penning a new long-term contract.

      Explaining his decision to quit Chelsea, he said: “I had to look at where I would get the most football and how I could take my game to the next level.
      “I sat down with the coaches, family members and agents and thought about what’s best for me. It was a really tough decision.”
      Tariq Lamptey has blossomed at Brighton since his Chelsea exitCredit: Getty More

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      Inter Miami ‘set to offer Lionel Messi part-ownership stake in club to snub Barcelona and complete shock free transfer’

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      INTER MIAMI are reportedly set to offer Lionel Messi a stake in the club to try and lure him from Paris Saint-Germain.The Argentine is out of contract in the summer and his future at the club is in doubt.
      Inter Miami are trying to persuade Lionel Messi to join the clubCredit: Getty
      He has several options to choose from but is believed to be keen on playing one more season in Europe.
      But David Beckham’s Inter Miami want to convince Messi to play in MLS and are prepared to offer him an equity stake in the club, according to The Independent.
      The club has spoken to Messi and his representatives about a possible move over the last few months.
      His father Jorge has also spoken to MLS about a potential switch and their plan to make him a key a figure for the league.
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      But Messi, who already has a dream £7m apartment in Miami, could snub their advances as he reportedly wants to stay in Europe for another year.
      He has the option of triggering a one-year extension at PSG but wants reassurances about the direction the club is heading in, including who the manager will be next season.
      Barcelona is another option for Messi, who wants one more crack at winning the Champions League.
      They could make the superstar their highest-paid player alongside Robert Lewandowski, with vice president Rafa Yuste claiming contact has already been made with Messi’s representatives.
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      He said: “We’ve been in contact with Leo Messi’s camp. Leo knows how much we appreciate him and I’d love for him to come back.
      “For sure Messi loves Barça and the city, so we hope to find the right conditions to continue his history here.”
      His return would be hugely popular amongst Barca fans, who chanted Messi’s name in the tenth minute of their clash with Real Madrid on Wednesday. More

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      Barcelona fans all chant Lionel Messi’s name just days after he is BOOED by PSG supporters amid transfer interest

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      BARCELONA fans chanted Lionel Messi’s name in the 10th minute of their El Clasico clash with Real Madrid.Messi, 35, is being heavily linked with a return to the Spanish giants in the summer as his Paris Saint-Germain future remains up in the air.
      Lionel Messi is being linked with a return to Barcelona this summerCredit: Rex
      The Barcelona fans chanted Messi’s name during Wednesday night’s El ClasicoCredit: Reuters
      It was reported last week that Barcelona have “made contact” with Messi in a bid to bring the club legend home.
      And fans of the club made their feelings known at the Nou Camp on Wednesday evening.
      They could be heard singing “Messi, Messi,” in the 10th minute of their Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against fierce rivals Real Madrid.
      Messi, who scored 672 goals in 778 games for Barcelona, wore the No10 shirt for 13 years until he left in emotional circumstances in 2021.
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      And the adulation he received from the supporters was in stark contrast to the treatment he received from the PSG faithful on Sunday.
      Messi’s name was jeered by his own fans before their clash with Lyon.
      Christophe Galtier’s side then went on to lose the game 1-0 as their lead at the top of Ligue 1 was cut to six points over the weekend.
      Messi has contributed 18 goals and 17 assists in 33 appearances for PSG this season.
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      But he looks increasingly likely to exit the club at the end of the season after two years in the French capital.
      Messi is out of contract in the summer as Barca prepare to try and pounce to secure his return.
      Barca vice president Rafa Yuste said: “We’ve been in contact with Leo Messi’s camp.
      “Leo knows how much we appreciate him and I’d love for him to come back.
      “For sure Messi loves Barca and the city, so we hope to find the right conditions to continue his history here.”
      But Messi has also been the subject of a ridiculous £350million-a-year deal from Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal. More

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      Lewandowski laughed in face of Premier League manager over transfer offer after having Man Utd dream dashed

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      ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI has revealed he laughed at Jurgen Klopp when the Liverpool boss made a cheeky transfer offer.Lewandowski’s ex-Borussia Dortmund manager had STOPPED the strike legend joining Manchester United six years earlier in 2011.
      Robert Lewandowski was linked with Prem clubs, mainly Man Utd, before joining Barcelona from Bayern Munich in July 2022Credit: Getty
      And the former Bayern Munich hero, now in scorching form for Barcelona, admits he was stunned when Klopp asked him about moving to Anfield.
      It came when Bayern hosted Liverpool in the 2017 Audi Cup.
      Lewandowski told Bild: “We spoke on that occasion. Klopp asked me, ‘Don’t you want to come to Liverpool?’ 
      “We looked at each other, then I laughed.

      “I don’t know if he was totally serious. But going to Liverpool was never in my mind.”
      The form of Lewandowski, 34, is as hot as ever as he closes on LaLiga title glory in his first season with Barca.
      The Poland superstar has notched 27 goals in 34 games across all competitions for the Spanish giants.
      That compares to netting 344 times in 375 appearances for Bayern, where he won the Champions League and eight Bundesliga crowns.
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      It followed two German titles with Klopp’s Dortmund.
      But he admits he was thrilled when Old Trafford chief Sir Alex Ferguson called him 12 years ago.
      Lewandowski, however, was less delighted by the fact he struggled to understand Fegie’s Scottish accent!
      And although he “wanted to go to Man Utd” Klopp ruled it out by saying: “No chance – we need you.” More

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      Lewandowski struggled to understand Sir Alex Ferguson’s Man Utd transfer offer… before Jurgen Klopp blocked move

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      BARCELONA star Robert Lewandowski struggled to understand Sir Alex Ferguson when he tried to sign him for Manchester United.The legendary boss gave the striker – then at Borussia Dortmund – a call to convince him to move to Old Trafford.
      Robert Lewandowski struggled to understand Sir Alex Ferguson due to his accentCredit: EPA
      Fergie tried to get the striker to join Man UtdCredit: Sportsfile
      Lewandowski was ready to quit the Bundesliga side only for then-manager Jurgen Klopp to block the transfer.
      The 34-year-old moved to Bayern Munich a few years later, where he spent eight seasons, scoring 344 goals in 375 games.
      Now at Barca, Lewandowski recalled the moment he nearly signed for United.
      He told Bild: “I remember the moment exactly. We had a friendly with Dortmund in preparation, I think against Bochum.
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      “I was subbed at half-time. I looked at my mobile phone in the dressing room. There was a text message with the sender +44.
      “Ferguson had tried to call me and then sent me a message. He wanted to talk to me.
      “I was still in the dressing room, I took a shower and called him back, in a quiet corner.
      “My English wasn’t as good as it is today. He has a strong Scottish accent. I was so focused on understanding what he meant. Ferguson tried to be considerate, spoke slowly.
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      “I was 22-years-old, it was a special moment. I spoke to Aki Watzke and Jurgen Klopp in the camp. I wanted to go to Man Utd.
      “But they said: ‘No chance, Robert. We need you. You have to stay’.”
      Lewandowski also opened up on the time Klopp tried to rekindle his relationship with him and bring him to Liverpool.
      The Pole claims the German had approached him after Bayern met the Reds in a pre-season friendly in 2017.
      Lewandowski said: “We spoke on that occasion. Klopp asked me, ‘Don’t you want to come to Liverpool?’ We looked at each other, then I laughed.
      “I don’t know if he was totally serious. But going to Liverpool was never in my mind.”
      Jurgen Klopp cheekily tried to get Robert Lewandowski to join LiverpoolCredit: Bongarts – Getty More

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      Former Premier League star reveals why Zidane WON’T manage in England in blow to Tottenham

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      ARSENAL legend Emmanuel Petit claims Zinedine Zidane will never manage in the Premier League… because he can’t speak English.That works as a major blow for Tottenham, who are weighing an ambitious bid to sign Zidane after former manager Antonio Conte’s exit.
      Zinedine Zidane won’t move to the Premier League because he can’t speak EnglishCredit: AFP
      Emmanuel Petit believes Zidane wants to work at a team where he can communicateCredit: Getty – Contributor
      However, Petit insists Spurs will have to look elsewhere as his former France team-mate will “definitely” not come because he doesn’t know the language.
      The 50-year-old tactician considers good communication a “priority”, which is why he avoids working with translators.
      Petit told Stadium Astro: “Zidane, he won’t come. Definitely. Do you know why? Because he doesn’t speak English.
      “That’s the truth – because I have known Zidane for ages and the way he manages players, he’s very close, he always talks to his players.
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      “So he wants the communication to be a priority. Very important for him, he doesn’t want someone to translate everything he has to say publicly.”
      Conte left Tottenham by mutual consent after a 16-month stint in charge of the club.
      The Italian exited under a cloud following a rant about the players and club in the wake of a 3-3 draw with Southampton before the international break.
      Spurs, though, have a long list of other potential managers they are keen on.
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      A return for Mauricio Pochettino is one of the possible options for the summer.
      Former Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann and ex-Barcelona boss Luis Enrique have also been mooted.
      Zidane has been out of work since leaving Real for the second time at the end of the 2020/2021 season. More

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      Leicester set asking price for James Maddison as Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle prepare to fight over England star

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      LEICESTER CITY have reportedly set their asking price for James Maddison amid interest from Tottenham and Newcastle.The midfielder has impressed this season with nine goals in 21 Premier League games.
      Leicester could be forced to sell James Maddison this summerCredit: Getty
      Maddison’s form has won him many admirers as well as his first England cap, which came against Montenegro in November.
      And Leicester could be forced to sell their prized asset with Maddison’s contract expiring in 2024.
      That means the Foxes have one last opportunity to cash in and are demanding £50million to let him leave, report The Telegraph.
      Leicester announced losses of £92.5million for 2021-22 and selling Maddison would help their financial situation.
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      The club have tried to tie Maddison down to a new deal but there has reportedly been no breakthrough in talks.
      That could allow potential suitors to pounce when the transfer window opens.
      Tottenham are believed to be keen on the England star as they rebuild following Antonio Conte’s departure.
      Newcastle also want Maddison and could reignite their interest after missing out on the midfielder in January.
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      The Magpies also tried to sign the 26-year-old last summer but had a bid worth £45million rejected.
      There is also said to be interest in the playmaker from Arsenal and abroad, so Maddison looks set to be involved in a summer transfer tussle. More

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      Chelsea considering Frank Lampard as caretaker boss for rest of season with club legend in crowd for Liverpool clash

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      FRANK LAMPARD made a shock return to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.And the Chelsea legend could even end up staying there as caretaker boss.
      Frank Lampard was in the stands at Stamford Bridge to watch Chelsea on TuesdayCredit: Alamy
      Lampard was sacked by Chelsea in January 2021 after 17 months in chargeCredit: PA
      Ex-Blues chief Lampard was in the stands to watch the goalless draw with Liverpool, just 48 hours after Graham Potter was sacked.
      Now owner Todd Boehly could turn to Lampard to take the reins until the end of the season.
      Lampard, who was Chelsea boss for 17 months as well as being the club’s record goalscorer, has been out of work since he was axed by Everton in January.
      Potter’s assistant Bruno Saltor took charge of the Blues on Tuesday night but admitted he had never even picked a team before.
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      Speaking after game, the 42-year-old Brighton legend said: “It’s been a really difficult 48 hours for everyone because it’s not the first time the players have been in this situation this season and they have suffered..
      “As a player you invest a lot in the manager. They had a  great relationship with Graham and he has been really supportive with them after leaving. 
      “It was truly difficult for me to enjoy tonight. It’s been a really sad time but I’ve just been trying to focus on being the best version of myself  to help the boys.”
      Chelsea, who sit 11th in the Premier League table but face Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League next week, have reportedly made contact with both Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique.
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      Asked if he expected to still be in charge for Saturday’s trip to Wolves, Bruno added:  “As it stands I just expect to go home to rest and focus on hour by hour, day by day.
      “The owner know the staff are going to be as professional as we can. We try to represent this club the best we can. We know the standards here and what is demanded.”
      Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp made six changes against Chelsea, leaving Mo Salah and Cody Gakpo on the bench as well as Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
      Virgil van Dijk also missed out through illness.
      The goalless draw leaves Liverpool eighth in the table, seven points behind fourth placed Spurs but with a game in hand.
      Klopp admitted: “I don’t know if there’s any chance of the top four. For that to happen we must win pretty much all our games and other teams above us must lose a lot.
      “It’s not in our hands but it’s not important. At the moment I don’t even know where we are and I’m not interested.
      “We have another ten games and the next one is Arsenal. If we are difficult to beat against them we can win this game. If not, Arsenal will just roll over us.
      “Today’s match was not the most spectacular and no-one is going to be writing a book about it. But it’s a little step in the right direction.” More