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      How Wolves nearly signed Enzo Fernandez for just £17m transfer fee less than year before Chelsea paid £107m

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      WOLVES nearly signed Enzo Fernandez for just £17million – just seven months before his £107m Chelsea transfer.The Argentine World Cup winner completed his British-record move from Benfica to Stamford Bridge on deadline day this week.
      Chelsea paid a British-record £107m for Enzo FernandezCredit: Getty
      The Blues smashed the previous record held by Manchester City when they paid £100m for Aston Villa in 2021.
      However, Fernandez could have been lining up in the Premier League from the beginning of the season – up the M40 at Molineux.
      As reported by talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Wolves were “very close” to landing Fernandez from River Plate in a bargain £17m transfer.
      In the end, the deal did not get over the line and Benfica picked the midfielder up for an initial £9m plus add-ons – inserting a whopping £107m release clause in his contract, although savvy River Plate pocket £26.5m of that.

      The 22-year-old linked up with the Portuguese giants after his boyhood club were knocked out of the Copa Libertadores and he continued his rapid rise.
      But it was at the World Cup that his stock soared as Fernandez was named Young Player of the Tournament and played a key role in Argentina ending their 36-year wait to be crowned world champions.
      Fernandez played every minute of the knockout rounds as Argentina beat Australia, Holland, Croatia and France.
      Chelsea tried to make a move to land the exciting talent early in the January transfer window but Benfica rejected their advances.
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      But when the Blues went back and triggered his release clause in the final days of the window, they managed to get the deal over the line.
      Fernandez will wear the No5 at Stamford Bridge after it was vacated by Jorginho, who made the switch across London to Arsenal.
      And he could make his debut under the lights tomorrow night when Fulham make the short trip to the Bridge.
      Relegation-threatened Wolves, meanwhile, signed Matheus Nunes and Boubacar Traore in the summer before adding Mario Lemina, Pablo Sarabia and Joao Gomes in January to bolster their midfield.
      Fernandez only left boyhood-club River Plate in July 2022Credit: Getty
      He teamed dup with Lionel Messi to win the World Cup in QatarCredit: Getty More

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      Ex-Chelsea star Loic Remy signs for Brest on free transfer until end of season as he continues career aged 36

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      LOIC REMY has joined Brest as a free agent until the end of the season, reports suggest.Former Chelsea ace Remy has been without a club ever since he left Turkish outfit Adana Demirspor last summer.
      Loic Remy has joined Brest as a free agent until the end of the seasonCredit: Getty
      Brest star Loic Remy enjoyed plenty of success at ChelseaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      According to L’Equipe, however, the striker has signed a six-month contract with Brest in a bid to relaunch his career at 36 years old.
      The former France international has been training with the Ligue 1 outfit for the past 10 days in order to maintain fitness.
      Brest manager Eric Roy knows the centre-forward very well as he coached him at Nice and invited him over to practice with his players after his “complicated time abroad”.
      Roy previously said: “I worked with Loic at Nice, when he was young. We have always kept in touch, and we get on well.
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      “He’s had a complicated time abroad, so I invited him to train with us. We are happy to welcome him.”
      Chelsea bought Remy from Queens Park Rangers for £10.5million nine years ago after he completed a loan stint at Newcastle.
      The attacker enjoyed plenty of success at Stamford Bridge as he won the Premier League and League Cup in 2015.
      The Frenchman amassed a total of 12 goals and three assists in 47 appearances during his three-year spell at the Blues until his departure for Las Palmas in 2017.
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      The forward also spent one year on loan at Crystal Palace while he was still on the West Londoners’ books.
      Remy has his work cut out at Brest as they are embroiled in an intense relegation struggle.
      Roy’s side is 15th in the Ligue 1 table with only one point separating them from the drop zone. More

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      Everton cult hero John Heitinga named Ajax boss for rest of season after Alfred Schreuder is axed amid club chaos

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      AJAX have announced John Heitinga as their interim manager until the end of this already turbulent campaign.The reigning Dutch champions sacked Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag’s successor Alfred Schreuder last week.
      Ajax have named John Heitinga as their new manager until the end of the seasonCredit: Rex
      New Ajax manager John Heitinga replaces Alfred SchreuderCredit: AFP
      The Amsterdam giants have now confirmed that former Under-23 coach Heitinga, 39, will be in charge until June when a permanent appointment will be made.
      Ajax announced: “Ajax and John Heitinga have agreed on the 39-year-old ex-football player remaining head coach of Ajax 1 for the rest of the season.

      “Dwight Lodeweges has been appointed as assistant coach in Heitinga’s technical staff, with immediate effect.”
      Schreuder’s short stint at Ajax came to an end after a run of seven competitive games without a win, even though they only lost once to PSV Eindhoven.
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      The final nail in the coffin for the Dutch tactician was a draw with Volendam.
      Everton cult hero Heitinga replaced him and ended the winless streak with a 4-1 win at Excelsior on Sunday.
      But he still has a lot of work to do with Ajax sitting fourth in the table, five points behind Eredivisie leaders Feyenoord.
      Ajax chief executive Edwin van der Sar said: “We are convinced that this is the right solution. John is on a clear and steady path, which has resulted in him developing himself very well over the years.
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      “Gerry Hamstra, Klaas Jan Huntelaar, and I have had multiple conversations, and we obviously held some with John. We feel confident about John’s qualities and the vision he has.
      “While looking for additions to the technical staff, we unanimously agreed on Dwight Lodeweges. His knowledge and extensive coaching experience work complementary to John and the rest of the staff.
      “The team now has to win, work on their confidence, and develop themselves further. We still have a lot to fight for this season.”
      Heitinga enjoyed a successful career as a footballer that saw him win two Eredivisie titles with Ajax.
      Ajax sacked Alfred Schreuder after a run of seven winless matchesCredit: Getty
      The former centre-back was also part of the Netherlands squad that made it to the 2010 World Cup Final.
      The Dutchman spent five years at Everton after his move from Atletico Madrid in 2009.
      The interim boss also played for Fulham in 2014 until he signed for Hertha Berlin a few months later.
      Heitinga finished his career at Ajax in 2016 and soon took over as youth coach. More

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      ‘I’d have driven him there’ – Former England star stunned that Brighton rejected Arsenal’s £70m transfer bid for Caicedo

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      FORMER England star Danny Murphy has been left stunned that Brighton did not take the money Arsenal offered to sign Moises Caicedo. Caicedo was the subject of two massive bids of £60million and £70m from the Gunners in the January transfer window.
      Moises Caicedo saw a transfer to Arsenal thwarted by BrightonCredit: PA
      However, despite Caicedo openly pleading with the club to sanction the transfer, Brighton held firm.
      Instead, the Seagulls banished Caicedo from training until the transfer deadline had passed, with Caicedo returning to training, as planned by the club, today.
      But Liverpool icon Murphy believes Brighton were silly to not cash in while they had the chance.
      Speaking to talkSPORT, Murphy said: “£70million for Caicedo? I’d have driven him there.
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      “I mean, he could do a cruciate next month.”
      Despite being a regular starter for the South Coast outfit, Brighton did not need Caicedo to overcome the challenge of FA Cup champions Liverpool when the two sides clashed at the weekend.
      Goals from Lewis Dunk and Kaoru Mitoma saw Brighton through to the fifth round of the tournament at the expense of Jurgen Klopp’s side.
      In addition, Arsenal opted for the more shrewd purchase of out of favour Chelsea star Jorginho, who arrived on deadline day for £12m after Chelsea splashed a British transfer record of £107m on Enzo Fernandez.
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      Later on, Murphy argued the drama surrounding Caicedo could impact his performances on the pitch.
      He added: “I’m sure he is [a good professional], i’m just saying there’s a possibility it will weigh on him.
      “And the fact is £70m – he’s good, but that is more than a fair price.” More

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      Tottenham forced to waive part of Marcus Edwards sell-on clause in Pedro Porro transfer which could cost them MILLIONS

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      TOTTENHAM had to surrender millions out of Marcus Edwards’ sell-on clause to Sporting Lisbon in order to sign Pedro Porro in January.Spurs sold Edwards in 2019 to Vitoria Guimaraes who then shipped him to Sporting last year.
      Tottenham were forced to surrender part of Marcus Edwards’ sell-on fee to Sporting LisbonCredit: EPA
      Tottenham had to surrender their sell-on percentage to sign Pedro PorroCredit: Getty
      The Prem outfit decided to forgo their 50 per cent sell-on clause with Vitoria, who sold him for £9million, and carry it over to Lisbon where he’s worth five times that amount.
      According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, however, the North Londoners had to waive off 15 per cent of the winger’s rights to land Porro.
      That means Antonio Conte’s side now has a 35 per cent sell-on clause, with many European teams keeping tabs on the 24-year-old ahead of the summer transfer window.
      The former England youth international’s Sporting release clause costs £52million, which means Tottenham would get £7.8m less if he’s sold for that price.
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      Romano tweeted: “After Pedro Porro deal, Sporting have received 15% more of Marcus Edwards rights — Portuguese club will now get 65% of any sale for Edwards.
      “Many European clubs are closely monitoring Edwards situation ahead of the summer, where interest is expected to be high.”
      Edwards has stood out at Sporting this season with 10 goals and 10 assists in 30 appearances across all competitions.
      The forward also stood out against his former club in both Champions League group stage clashes, and even helped Sporting win 2-0 in Lisbon.
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      The ex-Vitoria star has confirmed he would like to return to the Premier League at some point.
      Edwards previously said: “It’s home, so of course I want to come back there [to the Premier League] one day. I just focus on what I’m doing here for now.”
      Tottenham ultimately landed key target Porro on transfer deadline day.
      The right-back has joined on an initial loan until the end of the season, with an obligation to buy at the end of the campaign.
      The loan fee for the Spain international will cost around £4.4m, along with £37.3m the North Londoners will have to splash when the move becomes permanent in the summer. More

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      Everton eyeing shock free transfer for Isco to save them from the drop but ex-Real Madrid star will demand big money

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      EVERTON are reportedly interested in signing former Real Madrid star Isco on a free transfer.The Spaniard, 30, looked set to join Union Berlin on deadline day before the deal collapsed in the final hours of the January window.
      Isco has been a free agent since his Sevilla deal was ripped up in DecemberCredit: Getty
      As a result, the forward is still searching for a new club after leaving Sevilla in December.
      Isco penned a two-year deal with the LaLiga side in the summer, only to see it ripped up four months later following one goal in 19 appearances.
      According to The Times, Everton are now lining up a possible move for Isco as Sean Dyche searches for additions to his squad.
      The Toffees lost Anthony Gordon in January as he joined Newcastle for £45million.
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      The club then failed to secure a number of attacking targets including the likes of Arnaut Danjuma, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Ismaila Sarr, Odsonne Edouard and Jean-Philippe Mateta.
      And Nottingham Forest are set to beat them to former Swansea and West Ham man Andre Ayew.
      But free agent Isco could go some way to filling the void left by Gordon.
      Isco contributed 53 goals and 57 assists in 353 games during his time at Real Madrid.
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      He won three LaLiga titles and five Champions Leagues with Los Blancos.
      He has also racked up 38 caps for the Spain national team, scoring 12 goals.
      Meanwhile, Everton are desperately trying to avoid being relegated for the first time since 1951.
      The Merseyside outfit currently sit 19th in the Premier League table after just three wins from their opening 20 matches. More

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      Man Utd transfer target Benjamin Pavard available for bargain fee in summer with Bayern Munich ready to sell up

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      MANCHESTER UNITED transfer target Benjamin Pavard will reportedly be available for a bargain fee in the summer with Bayern Munich ready to part ways with the World Cup-winning Frenchman.Pavard, 26, has long been linked with a move away from Bayern despite helping win three German titles.
      Bayern Munich are willing to sell Benjamin Pavard for a bargain fee in the summerCredit: Getty
      Man Utd, as well as Chelsea and Barcelona, have all kept tabs on Pavard’s situation at the Allianz.
      And according to Sport 1, Pavard will be available for £26.8million in the summer.
      This could be due to the versatile defender being out of contract in the following summer.
      Bayern were open to selling Pavard in January, but a move failed to materialise despite late interest from Inter Milan.
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      Had Inter landed Pavard, they were open to selling Milan Skriniar to Paris Saint-Germain.
      The report states that Pavard would prioritise a transfer to Barca in the summer.
      Pavard could see his game time significantly decrease following the loan arrival of Joao Cancelo from Manchester City.
      Bayern also have an option to buy the Portugal international for £70m.
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      Cancelo got off to the perfect start to life in Germany, grabbing an assist on his debut.
      His wicked cross found Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting in the 4-0 win over Mainz. More

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      Chelsea ‘had pants pulled down’ in £300m January transfer splurge with Blues still way off Man City, claims Murphy

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      CHELSEA had their “pants taken down” after splashing over £300million in the January transfer window. That is according to Danny Murphy, who claims the Blues paid over the odds and still have a team in which the majority of their starting line-up would never make it at Manchester City.
      Danny Murphy believes Chelsea had their “pants taken down” in the January transfer windowCredit: The Sun
      Chelsea broke the transfer record by signing Enzo FernandezCredit: Getty
      The West Londoners had a very busy January transfer window that saw owner Todd Boehly spend a staggering £326m on eight signings.
      In fact, Graham Potter’s side spent as much this month as the entire Premier League did in January 2022.
      Chelsea also shattered the British transfer record by splurging a whopping £107m for Enzo Fernandez on deadline day.
      But Murphy claims the London giants were “bent over” as he believes Fernandez doesn’t justify the highest fee in Premier League history.
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      The Liverpool hero admits the 2022 World Cup’s Best Young Player is a good midfielder but not as good as City’s Rodri and Manchester United’s Casemiro.
      Murphy told talkSPORT: “I think they are overpaying for players and I still don’t think the majority of their first XI gets anywhere near City’s team.
      “Not really [impressed].
      “I watched a few of his [Fernandez] games live. He’s decent, but not worth £100m. They’ve been absolutely bent over there.
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      “He’s a good midfielder, tenacious, young, gets on the ball and is brave. But he’s not Rodri, not Casemiro.
      “They are overspending on players and people are seeing them coming and they are taking their pants down.”
      Chelsea also signed Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Joao Felix, Benoit Badiashile, Malo Gusto, David Datro Fofana and Andrey Santos. More