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      Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka joins four other stars including Messi and Man Utd target in reaching impressive stat this season

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      ARSENAL star Bukayo Saka’s sensational season continues to go from strength to strength.The England international, 21, bagged two goals and an assist in the Gunners’ 4-1 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday.
      Bukayo Saka is enjoying the best form of his careerCredit: Reuters
      Lionel Messi and Neymar have both reached 10 goals and assists this seasonCredit: AP
      It takes his tally for the Premier League campaign to 12 goals and 10 assists in 38 games.
      In doing so, Saka becomes just the fifth player in Europe’s top five leagues to reach both 10 goals and 10 assists this season.
      Joining him in completing the feat is Lionel Messi – who has a superb 13 goals and 13 assists to his name for Paris Saint-Germain.
      His team-mate Neymar also managed to reach the milestone before being ruled out for the rest of the season through injury – registering 13 goals and 11 assists.
      READ MORE ON BUKAYO SAKA
      The five players with 10 or more goals and assists in Europe’s top five leagues this season
      Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has enjoyed a breathtaking first season with NapoliCredit: Getty
      Napoli superstar Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is also on the list with 12 goals and 10 assists.
      And the final player to have hit double figures in both metrics is Eintracht Frankfurt forward Randal Kolo Muani.
      The French forward is being heavily linked with a £105million move to Manchester United off the back of his brilliant form.
      Saka is the first English player to achieve the feat in Europe’s top five leagues this season.
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      And his brilliant form has helped Arsenal open up an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.
      Saka is now set to feature for England in their upcoming internationals against Italy and Ukraine.
      Gareth Southgate has a host of in-form forwards to choose from including Harry Kane, Saka, Phil Foden, Ivan Toney and Jack Grealish.
      Marcus Rashford is another England man firing on all cylinders, but he withdrew from the squad on Monday through injury.
      Randal Kolo Muani is being linked with Manchester United after a stellar run of formCredit: Getty More

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      Tottenham ‘to be forced to pay out STAGGERING severance package’ to Antonio Conte with boss set to be axed this week

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      TOTTENHAM may have to pay Antonio Conte £15MILLION if they sack him before the end of the season, according to reports.News emerged on Monday evening that Spurs are preparing to dismiss the Italian, 53, later this week.
      Antonio Conte is reportedly set to be sacked this weekCredit: Getty
      It comes after Conte’s astonishing outburst on Saturday – which followed his side relinquishing a 3-1 lead to draw 3-3 with lowly Southampton.
      According to 90Min, there is a clause in the manager’s contract that means he must be paid £15m – the sum of his yearly salary – if he were to be sacked before the end of his deal.
      Conte’s contract expires at the end of June.
      Even if Spurs are able to get away with paying him his salary up to the end of the season, that will still mean a £4m pay-off.
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      This makes it an extortionately expensive decision for Tottenham if they do decide to axe him before the campaign’s conclusion.
      Conte has previous for securing lucrative severance payments.
      When he was sacked by Chelsea, he ended up being awarded £26.6m for unfair dismissal after taking the case to a tribunal.
      The Lilywhites will be desperate to avoid a similar scenario.
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      Spurs sit fourth in the Premier League table but have played more games than Newcastle, Liverpool and Brighton below them.
      Meanwhile, their wait for silverware has extended to more than 15 years after they were knocked out in the last-16 of the FA Cup by Sheffield United and last-16 of the Champions League by AC Milan.
      After the draw with Saints, Conte exploded with rage in his post-match press conference, saying: “They [the players] don’t play for something important.
      “They don’t want to play under pressure, they don’t want to play under stress.
      “It is easy this way. Tottenham’s story is this.

      “For 20 years there is the owner but they never won something but why?
      “The fault is only for the club, or for every manager that stays here?
      “I have seen the managers that Tottenham had on the bench.
      “Until now I try to hide the situation but not now because, I repeat, I don’t want to see what I have seen today because this is unacceptable and also un- acceptable for the fans.” More

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      How Man Utd could line up next season with Osimhen and Mitoma spearheading attack and new-look midfield

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      MANCHESTER UNITED are chasing a host of top players this summer.And they could line up in a bold new way should they land their top targets.
      Victor Osimhen could be one of three signings to turn Man Utd into title contendersCredit: Getty
      SunSport exclusively revealed Man Utd are scouting Brighton’s Kaoru MitomaCredit: AP
      Erik ten Hag has already helped himself to a trophy in his debut season after winning the Carabao Cup.
      United remain in the hunt for FA Cup and Europa League glory too.
      But Ten Hag is sure to be aiming for a title bid next term.
      And three brilliant signings would surely transform United into challengers.
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      The Red Devils are looking for a bigger attacking threat from the flanks.
      Yesterday, SunSport exclusively revealed they are scouting Brighton star Kaoru Mitoma.

      The Japan ace has been a revelation in the Premier League this season.
      And Mitoma would slot in straight away on the wing ahead of Antony and Jadon Sancho.
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      Jude Bellingham would give United a huge boost in midfieldCredit: Getty
      United also want a central midfielder despite the immediate impact of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen.
      Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong remains on Ten Hag’s wishlist after last summer’s failed move.
      But Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham is now top of the pile.
      The England star is also wanted by Real Madrid, Man City and Liverpool.
      And he would give United a focal point to build a team around for the next decade.
      Finally, Ten Hag craves extra fire power in the box.
      Wout Weghorst has proven to be a handy loan signing, with his work rate sublime.
      But a true goalscorer is needed to replace Cristiano Ronaldo.
      SunSport understands United like the look of Harry Kane — but it remains to be seen if Spurs are open to selling.
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      And that could open the door to a stunning move for Victor Osimhen.
      The Nigerian striker has banged in 25 goals for Napoli this season and is looking to take the next step in his career. More

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      Harry Kane on Real Madrid’s two-man striker wishlist as they target Tottenham star as stop-gap transfer

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      HARRY KANE is reportedly one of TWO strikers on Real Madrid’s shortlist as they seek to secure a temporary replacement for Karim Benzema.The European champions’ long-term plan is to secure Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappe.
      Harry Kane is being linked with a summer move away from boyhood club TottenhamCredit: Reuters
      Dusan Vlahovic could be set to leave Juventus at the end of the seasonCredit: Getty
      However, they are aware neither of them are set to become available until at least 2024.
      As a result, Carlo Ancelotti’s men are looking for someone to lead the line in the meantime.
      According to AS, Spurs talisman Kane, 29, is a leading candidate to assume that role.
      Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, 23, who has scored 20 goals in 49 games for the Italian giants, is the other man being considered by Los Blancos.
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      There is also the possibility of 18-year-old Alvaro Rodriguez being thrown into the side when he joins the squad in the summer.
      But Kane, who is Tottenham’s all-time top scorer with 271 goals 425 games, would provide Real Madrid with a proven threat in front of goal.

      And he could be available at the end of the season as he prepares to enter the final 12 months of his Spurs deal.
      However, any move for Kane – who is also attracting interest from Manchester United – would reportedly have to coincide with Real refusing to extend Benzema’s deal.
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      The Frenchman, 35, who joined Real in 2009, is out of contract in 2024.
      He bagged 44 goals in 46 games last season, helping them win LaLiga and the Champions League – before he scooped the Ballon d’Or.
      And while he has not maintained the same ratio of goals this term, he has still netted 19 times in 29 games.
      During his 14-year stint in the Spanish capital, he has racked up 342 goals in 634 games.
      Karim Benzema is Real Madrid’s second all-time top scorer behind Cristiano RonaldoCredit: Alamy More

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      Man Utd ‘expect up to EIGHT bids’ before Wednesday’s deadline and frontrunner could be revealed by end of week

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      MANCHESTER UNITED are reportedly expecting up to EIGHT bids before Wednesday’s deadline as the race hots up to take over at Old Trafford.Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani have publicly made their interest clear.
      Sir Jim Ratcliffe is one man interested in buying Manchester UnitedCredit: PA
      Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad AI-Thani another interested in Man Utd
      But Sky Sports are now reporting that as many as six other parties could enter the bidding process in the next 48 hours.
      It comes as buyers prepare to submit their second bids.
      Other potential bidders have remained under the radar, although US hedge fund Elliott Management also visited the club after making its initial proposal.
      Elliott, however, are seeking to provide finances for a bidder, rather than take control of United themselves.
      READ MORE ON MAN UTD
      Now, though, the next stage of the contest will begin in earnest with the would-be new owners asked to make their “non-indicative” second bids.
      These are more formal offers, expected to be higher than the initial valuations which were understood not to exceed £4.5billion.
      With the Glazer family believing the club is worth £6bn, there is a considerable gap which is unlikely to be completely filled in the next stage.
      But it does mean that the Glazers’ chosen intermediary, the US-based Raine Group, could be in a position to formally declare a “preferred bidder” by either Friday or the beginning of next week.
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      That would open the way for full due diligence of the club, its finances and assets, to begin, a process that might take two weeks or more to be completed.
      Even so, there remains a high degree of uncertainty, especially if none of the bidders comes within hailing distance of the Glazer sale price.
      While Sheikh Jassim, a member of the Qatari royal family, is seeking a full takeover, Sir Jim’s Ineos group is aiming to buy out the Glazers’ 69 per cent controlling stake.
      And it does mean there might be a third effective auction bidding stage with Raine conducting proceedings to attempt to ensure a final price closer to the Glazers’ preferred valuation.
      Sir Jim has made it clear he will not be  paying “stupid” money to buy Manchester United.
      He said: “How do you decide the price of a painting? How do you decide the price of a house?
      “It’s not related to how much it cost to build or how much it cost to paint.
      “What you don’t want to do is pay stupid prices for things because then you regret it subsequently.”
      Oldham-born Ratcliffe, a lifelong United fan, added: “Our interest would be purely in winning things.” More

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      I played in the Premier League and now play under Man Utd bidder Sir Jim Ratcliffe – he wants to take us to the top

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      AARON RAMSEY praised potential Manchester United owner Jim Ratcliffe for the impressive work he has done with Nice.The former Arsenal midfielder joined the French club on a free transfer in the summer and says he likes the way it is run.
      Sir Jim Ratcliffe is in talks to take over at Manchester UnitedCredit: PA
      Aaron Ramsey is playing for the Ratcliffe-owned NiceCredit: Getty
      Boyhood Red Devils fan Ratcliffe is looking to take control of the club – but faces competition from Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim.
      Ramsey, 32, said: “The owner is very passionate and very invested into Nice.
      “He wants to take Nice all the way to the top.
      “It’s a great project to be a part of. It just feels like a family-oriented club.
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      “It’s been quite nice, really enjoyable. there’s worse places in the world to be playing.”
      Nice have reached the quarter finals of the Europa Conference League and are well-placed to secure qualification for a UEFA competition next season too.
      They sit seventh in the Ligue 1 table, just six points adrift of a place in the Conference League qualifiers.
      Meanwhile, Ratcliffe and the other contenders to take over at Man Utd are set to revise their bids by Wednesday’s deadline – with as many as EIGHT expected.
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      These are more formal offers, expected to be higher than the initial valuations which were understood not to exceed £4.5bn.
      With the Glazer family believing the club is worth £6bn, there is a considerable gap which is unlikely to be completely filled in the next stage.
      But it does mean that the Glazers’ chosen intermediary, the US-based Raine Group, could be in a position to formally declare a “preferred bidder” by either Friday or the beginning of next week.
      That would open the way for full due diligence of the club, its finances and assets, to begin, a process that might take two weeks or more to be completed.
      Even so, there remains a high degree of uncertainty, especially if none of the bidders comes within hailing distance of the Glazer sale price.
      While Sheikh Jassim, a member of the Qatari royal family, is seeking a full takeover, Sir Jim’s Ineos group is aiming to buy out the Glazers’ 69 per cent controlling stake.
      And it does mean there might be a third effective auction bidding stage with Raine conducting proceedings to attempt to ensure a final price closer to the Glazers’ preferred valuation.
      Sheikh Jassim, however, is reportedly set to make a second bid for the Red Devils in the coming days.
      Read More on The Sun
      That’s according to Sky Sports, who claim the Qatari will table his second gambit on Wednesday.
      It’s claimed the Sheikh’s team worked on the new offer over the weekend – just days after fresh talks with the Glazers at Old Trafford and Carrington. More

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      Man Utd target Victor Osimhen bizarrely compared to Spider-Man as shocking stats come to light

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      NAPOLI striker Victor Osimhen has been compared to Spider-Man as a result of his improvement since wearing a mask.The Nigerian forward, 24, has established himself as one of the most prolific goalscorers in European football as the Italian side fly high at the top of Serie A.
      Victor Osimhen had strong numbers before being forced to wear a mask due to injuryCredit: Getty
      His goals and assists have increased significantly since he put on the maskCredit: Rex
      Osimhen has been compared to Spider-ManCredit: Handout
      His sensational form has seen him linked with a blockbuster summer move to Manchester United.
      And Italian outlet Pazzi Di Fanta have now likened him to superhero Spider-Man following his stellar run.
      Osimhen broke his cheekbone in November 2021 following a head clash with Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar.
      Up to that point, he had registered 19 goals and five assists in 46 games for Napoli following his arrival in the summer of 2020.
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      How Osimhen compares with and without a mask
      He was ruled out for 12 matches, but returned an improved striker.
      Wearing a mask to protect his face, he has racked up 34 goals and nine assists in 45 appearances.
      It means his goal contributions per game have increased from 0.52 to 0.96 since he put on the mask.
      And he has been compared to Spider-Man when he gained superhero status following what turned out to be a fortuitous spider bite.
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      Osimhen has racked up a total of 53 goals and 14 assists in 91 games for Napoli.
      And his sensational 2022/23 campaign has seen Luciano Spaletti’s side run away with the league as they extended their lead to 19 points over the weekend.
      They are also into the quarter-finals of the Champions League where they will face Italian rivals AC Milan.
      But it could still be Osimhen’s final season in Serie A as Man Utd and Chelsea line up big bids. More

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      Emi Martinez breaks silence on Aston Villa future as he’s linked with transfer exit to play in Champions League

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      RECORD-BREAKING Emiliano Martinez has revealed he wants to stay at Aston Villa for “many years to come”.The Argentine World Cup winner had been tipped to make a high-profile move this summer after admitting he craved Champions’ League football.
      Emi Martinez has been heavily linked with a move away from Villa Park this summerCredit: Rex
      Martinez confessed it would be “easy” to move to one of Europe’s top clubs who regularly compete at that level.
      And when manager Unai Emery criticised him for contesting a late corner which Arsenal scored from, it seemed Villa would struggle to hold on to their No1.
      However, the 30-year-old kept his 33rd clean sheet in 99 Villa appearances to surpass Mark Bosnich and Brad Friedel’s record of 32 in 100 appearances against Bournemouth at the weekend.
      Afterwards he spoke of his pride at setting the new standard and confessed: “It’s a great feeling.
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      “If we had won 3-1, I would go home and not be able to sleep for hours because I always think about what I could have done better to keep the clean sheet.
      “I’m very ambitious, I’m so driven to improve. I try to transmit that to the back four and to the starting XI.”
      Martinez joined Villa from Arsenal in 2020 for a bargain £17million and revealed he has never felt more at home.
      He said: “My career went through the roof since I joined the club.
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      “I’ve always said I’m grateful to this club and I love being here.
      “My family is happy at the club, my boy is obsessed with playing football and he plays for the Under-6s in the Academy.
      “We’re loving our time here and hopefully there are many years to come.”
      Martinez was a key part of Argentina’s World Cup triumph in QatarCredit: AFP More