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    Premier League wage bills revealed with Arsenal getting most for their money and Man Utd spending more than DOUBLE

    ARSENAL are getting bang for their buck after it was revealed their annual wage bill is less than HALF of Chelsea and Manchester United’s.The Gunners sit top of the Premier League table, five points clear of defending champions Manchester City.
    Arsenal sit top of the table despite only having the sixth biggest wage bill in the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty
    Manchester United’s wage bill exceeds £200millionCredit: Getty
    Mikel Arteta’s side also hold a huge 16-point advantage over Erik ten Hag’s Man Utd with just 11 games remaining.
    That is despite their significantly smaller wage budget.
    In fact, Arsenal have the smallest wage bill of any of the traditional “Big Six”.
    According to The Mirror, the league leaders pay their players just shy of £98million each year.
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    The annual wage bill for each Premier League club
    That is a world away from the biggest budget in the Premier League – which is held by Chelsea at £212m.
    Todd Boehly’s £600m spending spree over the last nine months has seen them edge ahead of Man Utd in the wage bill standings – with the Red Devils shelling out £211m.
    They are followed by Man City at £182m, Liverpool at £158m and Tottenham at £110m.
    Then come Arsenal – the first side limiting their wage bill to under the £100m mark.
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    The biggest budgets outside of the top six come from Aston Villa, Everton, West Ham and Newcastle – all between £76m and £90m.
    They are followed by Leicester, Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Wolves and Southampton.
    Among the most threadbare wage bills are Leeds, Bournemouth and seventh-place Brighton – who spend just £35m per year on their players’ salaries.
    But the smallest annual wage bill is Brentford’s.
    Thomas Frank’s entire squad earns just over £30m per year – but are punching well above their financial weight as they sit eighth in the Premier League table. More

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    Jurgen Klopp will let THREE international midfielders go this summer as he plots Liverpool transfer rebuild

    JURGEN KLOPP has reportedly already decided to let THREE midfielders leave this summer as he plots his Liverpool rebuild.The Reds were this week dumped out of the Champions League with a 6-2 aggregate defeat to Real Madrid.
    Jurgen Klopp has allegedly already decided to let three of his midfielders depart this summerCredit: Getty
    They are also out of the FA Cup, which they won last season, and failed to retain the League Cup.
    And now they face a fight for a top four finish with their dismal campaign leaving them six points behind fourth-placed Tottenham.
    Klopp’s ageing midfield is one of his main priorities once the transfer window re-opens.
    Liverpool are in the chase to try and sign Dortmund’s teenage England star Jude Bellingham.
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    And they have also received a boost in their transfer pursuit of Mason Mount from Chelsea.
    However, room will have to be made in Klopp’s squad for any new arrivals – and a fresh report states a decision has already been made regarding departures.
    The Athletic claim that he will allow former England midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 29, and Guinea’s Naby Keita, 28, both to leave as free agents when their contracts expire.
    And he will not try to sign Brazilian Arthur Melo, 26, on a permanent deal once his season-long loan ends.
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    Meanwhile, Liverpool have been rocked after it emerged star Stefan Bajcetic has been ruled out for the rest of the season with injury.
    The teenage midfielder confirmed the news in an Instagram post, before vowing to be “back stronger than ever” next season.
    Bajcetic, 18, started Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday before suffering an abductor injury. More

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    Arsenal target Kaoru Mitoma set to be offered record new deal by Brighton as Real Madrid & Man City join transfer chase

    BRIGHTON are reportedly set to offer Kaoru Mitoma a record new contract to thwart off interest from Arsenal, Manchester City and Real Madrid.The Japanese international winger, 25, has been one of the star men in what has been an impressive campaign for both him and the Seagulls.
    Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma is set to be offered a record new contractCredit: AP
    Following his season-long loan last year at Belgian side Union SG, he has become one of high-flying Brighton’s key men this term with 14 goal involvement in his 26 Premier League appearances.
    Mitoma, who delayed signing a professional contract in his homeland with Kawasaki Frontale at 19 to instead go to university and wrote a thesis on dribbling, arrived on the South Coast for a fee of just £2.7m in 2021.
    Now his displays have seen his valuation rocket to around £35m with a host of clubs keen to snap him up.
    Arsenal have held an interest since January in Mitoma.
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    Now TEAMtalk are claiming that Pep Guardiola’s Man City and LaLiga giants Real Madrid are also interested.
    And they state that Bayern Munich are also monitoring the situation.
    However, Brighton are desperate to hang on to the attacker and are allegedly willing to pull out all the stops to keep him.
    Mitoma is currently under contract until 2025.
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    But the Seagulls are set to fend off interest in him by offering the ace and record deal to make him the club’s highest-ever earner.
    Meanwhile, Mitoma will be hoping to secure a day at Wembley today when Brighton face Grimsby in the FA Cup quarter-final. More

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    Mason Mount drops HUGE hint he will quit Chelsea in summer transfer window as Man Utd and Liverpool prepare to pounce

    MANCHESTER UNITED and Liverpool could have received a boost in their pursuit of Mason Mount.The England international midfielder, 24, is under contract until June 2024 and is stalling negotiations on a new deal.
    Mason Mount has appointed a new agent to look after his interestsCredit: Getty
    Mount is understood to be after a significant pay rise from his current wages of around £80,000 per week.
    And he is reluctant to sign a huge long-term commitment like compatriot Reece James.
    Chelsea’s influx of players has also left Mount pushed down the pecking order.
    Now the Daily Mail has claimed that he has appointed a new agent to look after him.
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    Neil Fewings, who previously worked for Wasserman Media Group but who is now the UK managing partner of ROOF, is in charge of Mount’s interests.
    And the publication states that it is “the strongest indication yet that he is set to leave Stamford Bridge” at the end of the season.
    Chelsea have insisted that they have made their final offer regarding a new contract and are reluctant to risk losing him for nothing next year.
    And that could lead to them trying to cash in on their academy product this summer with both United and Liverpool waiting in the wings to pounce and sign him.
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    Mount’s father Tony has been representing the ace for the last 18 months since the star left previous management company, Stellar Football.
    Now they have “sought more specialist assistance to negotiate with other clubs”.
    And with mounting interest in the ace, with Newcastle also keen, the “change of approach may already be paying off”.
    While it remains to be seen whether he will stay or go, rival English clubs have been put on alert by reports of a £50MILLION price tag. More

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    Frenkie de Jong deals Man Utd transfer blow as he drops huge hint about his Barcelona future

    FRENKIE DE JONG has dealt Manchester United a fresh transfer blow as he admitted he hopes to stay at Barcelona ‘for many years’.The Dutch star was among United’s main targets last summer and the Red Devils went all out to try and land him.
    Frenkie de Jong has made 31 appearances in all competitions this seasonCredit: Rex
    But they could not spring the 25-year-old from the Nou Camp despite De Jong being involved in a pay dispute with Barca.
    Now any potential transfer looks even further away after the midfielder pledged his future to the Catalan club.
    He appeared to hint at a long-term stay in Spain as he made clear he wants to play at the newly renovated Nou Camp, which will not be completed until the 2024-25 season.
    De Jong, who signed for Barcelona from Ajax in 2019, told TV3: “I hope I will play at the new Camp Nou.
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    “Barcelona is the club of my dreams, so I plan to stay for many years.
    “It looks like it’s going to be nice. The plans for the stadium are very good.”
    Speculation has continued that United could try to land de Jong when the window opens this summer.
    His former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag is known to be a big fan but eventually settled for Christian Eriksen when it was clear the deal could not be done.
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    Chelsea and their owner Todd Boehly are also reported to have interest in de Jong.
    United fans got a taste of what the Dutch international could bring when he starred in the Barcelona midfield for the Europa League play-off games last month. More

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    ‘The days of George Best will return to Man Utd’ if they complete shock transfer for in-demand wonderkid, says Henry

    MANCHESTER UNITED could see the days of George Best return if they complete a transfer for Napoli wonderkid Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.Kvaratskhelia, 22, has been setting Serie A and the Champions League alight with his mesmerising displays this season.
    Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been compared to Manchester United legend George BestCredit: Rex
    The 22-year-old has been in sensational form
    Best won the Ballon d’Or while at Man Utd is regarded as one of the best players of all timeCredit: PA:Press Association
    Transfer links to Man Utd have drawn comparisons with legendary Red Devils forward George Best, regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
    Following a stunning goal against Atalanta, ex-Inter Milan striker Christian Vieri said: “The goal he scored was the stuff of madness!
    “If he goes to Manchester United, the days of George Best will return. Kvaratskhelia is the same.”
    Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has backed up this claim too.
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    Ahead of Napoli’s Champions League last-16 tie against Eintracht Frankfurt, Henry told CBS Sports: “He can press. He can hold the ball. He can see a pass.
    “He’s just the full package. Hopefully, it can carry on for him and they can win the league.
    “If they don’t win the league, it will be crazy because of the number of points that they have ahead. Winning the Champions League will be crazy.”
    Napoli have forged an 18-point lead at the top of Serie A to put them in a strong position to claim their first league title since 1990.
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    Back then they were inspired by Argentine legend Diego Maradona, and shortly after arriving Napoli fans dubbed Kvaratskhelia as “Kvaradona”.
    And the Georgian has done the name justice, scoring 13 goals and adding 15 assists in 29 appearances this season.
    One of his breakout performances came against Liverpool when Napoli tore the Reds to shreds in a 4-1 demolition in Naples, with Kvaratskhelia shining against Liverpool’s defence.
    He is also the Italian league leader for goal-creating actions and sits second only to Rafael Leao for successful take-ons.
    Despite comparisons to 1968 Ballon d’Or winner Best, United will face competition to sign him from a number of clubs.
    Newcastle, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are among the sides said to be in the race to sign the highly-rated winger. More

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    Real Madrid ‘considering Romelu Lukaku transfer swoop with Inter Milan unwilling to buy Chelsea striker’

    REAL MADRID are considering a move for Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku, according to reports. The 29-year-old Belgian is on loan from the Blues at Inter Milan following an unsuccessful return to Stamford Bridge last season.
    Real Madrid are considering a move for Romelu LukakuCredit: Rex
    However, having struggled with injury and form, the Italians have already insisted he WILL NOT be staying beyond the end of the season.
    Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta said: “He will return to Chelsea as it’s a straight loan, it’s part of the deal — then we will see.
    “Lukaku is not in good condition yet, we are still waiting to see the real Romelu as we saw in the past.”
    That has thrown the striker’s future into doubt, with Chelsea wanting to cut their losses following his £97.5million transfer in August 2021.
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    And Real Madrid are set to take advantage of this situation by launching an offer for Romelu Lukaku.
    According to Fichajes, Los Blancos want to bolster Karim Benzema’s firepower by adding Lukaku to the fold.
    The report suggests Carlo Ancelotti and Co are admirers of Lukaku having seen how devastating he can be when he is not blighted by injuries.
    Indeed, just two seasons ago Lukaku fired Milan to the Serie A title and was crowned their Player of the Year.
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    Lukaku has been heavily hit by injury this season, seeing him make just 18 appearances and yield five goals in all competitions.
    He has been open with his desire to stay at Inter and his ultimate career path.
    The former Manchester United and Everton striker said: “Everyone knows what I want.
    “I hope to stay at Inter. I love this club and we will speak to Chelsea in order to find a solution.
    Lukaku has struggled for form in the Serie A this season
    “Inter fans are really special, for me they are the best in the world.
    “Because even if we are in difficulty they are always there to help the team.
    “It was a surprise for me, I thought they were angry with me.
    “But in the end they know I’ve always had Inter in my heart. Even if I left, they know I’ve always had Inter in my heart.
    “I’ve had conversations with my team-mates, with people from the club and they know I’ve told the truth about why I left.
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    “Now I’m back and I hope to stay in the future. I mean that for me Inter is worth everything.
    “The idea is to finish my career with Anderlecht. I’m nearly 30, my son started school here and plays in the Inter academy. I want to stay here and do things right.” More

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    How Crystal Palace could line up under Michael Carrick including transfer raid on Man Utd and Middlesbrough star

    CRYSTAL PALACE are on the hunt for a new manager after sacking Patrick Vieira.And the Eagles could line up very differently if they bring in Michael Carrick from Middlesbrough.
    Michael Carrick is being lined up as the next manager of MiddlesbroughCredit: Alamy
    The former Manchester United, Tottenham and West Ham star has worked wonders with his Championship side after taking over from Chris Wilder in October.
    Boro are third in the table, just six points behind second-place Sheffield United.
    And they look certain to reach the playoffs with their attractive style of football.
    However, Palace are desperate to appoint a new manager to save them from the Premier League drop.
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    And reports claim Carrick could be on his way to replace Vieira shortly.
    Should the ex-England international take charge and keep Palace up, he could then embark on a tasty transfer spree in the summer market.
    Wilfried Zaha looks likely to depart when his deal expires, freeing up plenty of room in the wage budget.
    And Carrick could first raid Middlesbrough for star striker Chuba Akpom.
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    The 27-year-old has 24 goals in all competitions this term.
    And his presence would go some way towards solving Palace’s problems in front of goal.
    Elsewhere, Carrick could also be set to return to former side United for no less than THREE stars.
    Donny van de Beek would be a suitable candidate to line up in midfield should he finally overcome his injury problems.
    The Dutchman is unlikely to remain at Old Trafford.
    And he could jump at the chance of restarting his Premier League career in south-east London.
    Elsewhere, Antony Elanga could be the ideal replacement on the left wing for Zaha.
    He too is out of the picture under Erik ten Hag despite showing his class in England’s top flight.
    Finally, there could be a sensational homecoming for Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
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    The right-back was a target for old side Palace in January before a sharp rise in form.
    But United are still making plans to sign an elite right-back, which would make Wan-Bissaka redundant. More