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      Barcelona looking to seal deal for ‘next Suarez’ Vitor Roque as 17-year-old Brazilian wonderkid stars at Paranaense

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      BARCELONA are reportedly closing in on the signing of Vitor Roque.The teenage sensation, known as “Tigrinho” in his native Brazil, has been earmarked for a transfer to the Camp Nou.
      Vitor Roque has been tipped for a transfer to BarcelonaCredit: AFP
      The Brazilian wonderkid has scored six goals in six games at the U20 South American ChampionshipsCredit: EPA
      Roque currently ply’s his trade for Brazilian Serie A outfit Athletico Paranaense.
      And according to Sport, Spanish giants Barcelona believe the 17-year-old has the mentality and characteristics to replace Luis Suarez in the medium term.
      However, more immediately he would fill the space left by Memphis Depay following his cut-price transfer to Atletico Madrid.
      Roque has been in terrific form for the Brazil Under 20 side at the 2023 U20 South American Championships, with six goals in as many games.
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      This tally puts him just three behind the record set by Neymar in 2011.
      The report indicates the Blaugrana have contacted two main figures at the South American club in order to get a deal over the line.
      The first is legendary coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, who moved into a football coordinator role following his retirement from management.
      The other is club CEO Alexandre Mattos, who is regarded as one of the most effective operators in the country after his success building the reigning champions Palmeiras.
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      Barcelona’s financial limitations mean a transfer will need to be a cost-savvy one, with his current market value estimated to be under £10million.
      But before the next window rolls around they will have a Europa League play-off clash against Manchester United to contend with. More

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      Newcastle set to revive James Maddison transfer bid in summer but face competition from Man City

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      NEWCASTLE will reportedly “make a renewed attempt” to sign James Maddison this summer – but they face “intense competition” from Manchester City.The Magpies have been long-time admirers of the 26-year-old Leicester City star.
      Man City have joined the chase for James MaddisonCredit: Getty
      They even lodged two bids worth £40million and £45m last summer.
      However, both offers were turned down and the player stayed put at the King Power.
      Since then Maddison has gone on to enjoy a fine campaign with the struggling Foxes and earned a place in Gareth Southgate’s England World Cup squad.
      The ex-Coventry City and Norwich ace is back in the team at Leicester after recent injury woes and he scored his eighth goal of the season in Saturday’s 4-2 win at Aston Villa.
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      Newcastle had an enquiry knocked back last month but the Northern Echo states that they “have not given up on a deal” for the attacker.
      Especially since Maddison has not signed a new contract at the King Power Stadium and is in the final 18 months of his deal.
      But this fresh update says that Eddie Howe’s side “are unlikely to have things their own way if Leicester decide to cash in this summer”.
      And that is because Man City have also added Maddison to their own transfer wishlist.
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      Pep Guardiola seems likely to lose Bernardo Silva from his squad at the end of the season.
      He will task City’s recruitment team with finding a replacement with proven Premier League pedigree – and Maddison certainly fits that bill.
      Discussing their summer transfer plans, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe confirmed that some wheels are already in motion but added that they are also ready with alternatives should anything change.
      He said: “We would have an idea (of summer targets), but that changes.
      “That can change in the blink of an eye. If you plan things right, you can look a few months ahead, but you always need to be reactive to what happens on a day-to-day basis as well.” More

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      Liverpool ‘want £45m Nico Williams transfer from Athletic Bilbao but face competition from Premier League rivals’

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      LIVERPOOL are reportedly targeting a £45million deal for Spain star Nico Williams.But they face competition from Premier League rivals Aston Villa for the Athletic Bilbao ace.
      Liverpool are chasing a £45m deal for Athletic Bilbao star Nico WilliamsCredit: Getty
      Williams, 20, has been in good form this season with three goals and four assists in 20 matches.
      The youngster was part of Spain’s World Cup squad in Qatar, playing in all four of their matches.
      And AS claims Williams is now being lined up for a mega-money move to the Premier League following previous links with Man United.
      Liverpool are big fans of the wide forward, who is out of contract next year.
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      Jurgen Klopp has struggled to get a tune out of new signings Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo.
      And with Roberto Firmino’s future unclear, Williams has emerged as an ideal target.
      But there are two issues for Liverpool, the first being the price.
      Williams has a release clause of £45m, and Bilbao will not let him go for anything less.
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      The second issue is that Aston Villa are also keen on signing Williams.
      Unai Emery knows the winger well from his last spell as Villarreal boss.
      And Villa has shown they are not afraid to splash the cash for the right signing.
      Williams could now have a huge decision to make at the end of the season, having also been linked with Juventus.
      Yet there is every chance he ends up signing a new contract, with brother Inaki still starring for Bilbao despite seeing his consecutive appearances record come to an end. More

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      Philippe Coutinho wants to stay and fight for Aston Villa future as Galatasaray target last-minute transfer

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      PHILIPPE COUTINHO is ready to stay and fight to win back his place at Aston Villa.Turkish giants Galatasaray had been linked with an 11th-hour loan deal to land the 30-year-old before today’s Turkish transfer deadline today.
      Philippe Coutino wants to stay at Aston Villa and fight for his placeCredit: Getty
      They were keen on the forward, who cost Barcelona £142m in 2018, however Coutinho was happy to honour the four-year deal worth £125,000-a-week which he signed last May.
      Table-topping Galatasaray have now switched their attention to Roma’s wantaway midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo who is on the brink of completing an £18million move to the Istanbul giants.
      Turkey is still reeling from the devastating effects of the earthquake which caused so much destruction and it is unlikely Galatasaray will make an official approach to Villa at this late stage.
      Coutinho was linked with a return to South America last month after falling down the pecking order at Villa Park under new boss Emery.
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      The former Liverpool star has not managed a single goal or assist this season and is yet to start a Premier League game since Emery’s arrival.
      Coutinho was brought to Villa Park by former Anfield team-mate Steven Gerrard on loan from Barcelona in January 2022.
      After an impressive half a year, he signed permanently last summer but struggled to hit the same heights from the first six months.
      Coutinho has managed only eight starts in his 20 appearances this season with Emi Buendia and Leon Bailey often picked instead of him.
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      Coutinho has zero goals and assists in the Premier League
      Meanwhile Galatasaray are pulling ahead in the Turkish league, having moved six points ahead of Fenerbahce.
      The league leaders are unbeaten in nine and look on course for their first league title in four years, dethroning Trabzonspor. More

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      How Man Utd could line up next season under Qatari owners with billions invested on transfers and Harry Kane up front

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      MANCHESTER UNITED could be set for a huge transfer spree next summer if Qataris complete a takeover of the club.The Glazers have placed the Red Devils up for sale and a Qatari group is reportedly about to make a bid.
      Manchester United could be set for a big spending spree
      Declan Rice and Harry Kane are two top targetsCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Napoli are reluctant to let Victor Osimhen leaveCredit: AFP
      The investment group are said to be confident that their bid will blow any competition out of the water, and want to significantly boost manager Erik ten Hag’s transfer kitty.
      As well as coughing up more than £6billion for the club, the Qatari group could face a project of redeveloping, or knocking down Old Trafford and building a new state-of-the-art facility.
      And investment in the playing squad could see some big name arrivals next summer, such as England pair Harry Kane and Declan Rice.
      Both have been frequently linked with a move to United, though West Ham boss David Moyes has warned it will take a British record fee to land Rice.
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      Tottenham also do not want to sell their record goalscorer Kane to a Premier League rival in the summer, though United could make them an offer they cannot refuse if they are flush with cash.
      The Red Devils have targeted Napoli hitman Victor Osimhen as an alternative to Kane, though it is believed the Serie A side are demanding £133million to let him leave.

      Another major target is Jude Bellingham, who is also attracting interest from Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Manchester City.
      Ten Hag missed out on several targets in his first transfer window and it is possible United could move back in for those players once they have some extra financial firepower.
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      United could have a very different look next season
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      Two players the Dutchman has worked with before, Jurrien Timber and Frenkie de Jong, were both on United’s shortlist but rejected moves to Old Trafford.
      Ten Hag is still said to be keen on the pair, though he could have more urgent priorities, including signing Inter Milan right-back Denzel Dumfries.
      A new goalkeeper could also be on the agenda with Jan Oblak and Diogo Costa both linked over the last few months.
      Other players of interest include Barcelona wonderkid Ansu Fati, who would provide competition for places on the wing.
      Former Celtic right-back Jeremie Frimpong could also arrive as an upgrade for Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. More

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      Al-Nassr offer Cristiano Ronaldo’s old rival Sergio Busquets huge £32MILLION to seal free transfer from Barcelona

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO’S old rival Sergio Busquets has been offered the chance to join Al-Nassr on a free transfer.But the Barcelona star would only be earning a fraction of Ronnie’s wages in Saudi Arabia.
      Sergio Busquets could be set to join Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-NassrCredit: AFP
      AS claims Busquets, 34, is set to depart the Nou Camp on a free transfer when his contract expires this summer.
      The playmaker has already been linked with a move to David Beckham’s Inter Miami.
      But Al-Nassr have now come forward with an offer.
      It’s believed the Middle Eastern giants have offered Busquets a two-year deal worth £32million.
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      And should he accept, the veteran would link up on the field with former Real Madrid foe Ronaldo.
      However, the generous fee put to Busquets is still a drop in the ocean compared to Ronnie’s package.
      The Portugal legend, 38, became the highest-paid sportsman of all time when he signed a two-and-a-half year contract with Al-Nassr.
      Ronaldo will be paid a mind-boggling £173m for his time in Saudi Arabia.
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      And his presence in the side is already making life more “difficult” for team-mates.
      Luiz Gustavo said: “The presence of Ronaldo gives his rivals more incentive to beat the league leaders.
      “His presence makes our matches more difficult. The opposing teams try to play their best against him.
      “Cristiano motivates everyone. His presence guarantees a great advantage to our group because we learn from him every day, given the great technical and physical qualities he possesses.
      “Ronaldo was created for challenges and he always succeeds. He’s already scored his first goal and so he’s taken the pressure off.” More

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      Arsenal facing fight for Moises Caicedo transfer in summer as Liverpool become ‘dark horses’ for Brighton star

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      ARSENAL are reportedly facing a huge fight this summer for Moises Caicedo as Liverpool have become the “dark horses” to sign the Brighton star.The 21-year-old attempted to force a late move away from the Seagulls last month.
      Liverpool are ‘dark horses’ to win the race to sign Brighton’s Moises CaicedoCredit: Getty
      The Ecuadorian international took to social media to publicly plead with the club to allow him to seal a dream move to Arsenal.
      The Gunners tabled a number of bids for the ace, with the highest being £70million, but each one was rejected by their Premier League rivals.
      Chelsea were also keen on Caicedo with manager Graham Potter having previously signed and managed the player at Brighton before taking the role at Stamford Bridge.
      However, now Liverpool have emerged as a serious threat to both teams in what could turn out to be a summer scramble for the player.
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      Jurgen Klopp is known to be searching for midfield reinforcements after the disappointments of this season.
      And journalist Ben Jacobs told TEAMtalk the Reds are “dark horses” in the battle to sign Caicedo due to Arsenal now making West Ham’s Declan Rice their “number one midfield target”.
      He said: “We can’t rule out Arsenal as well but it remains to be seen if they’ll pay the same kind of fee that they were offering in January. Caicedo’s price could actually drop a little bit rather than go up.
      “Chelsea could also be back, as they’ll want more than one midfielder and Caicedo has worked with Graham Potter before.
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      “Liverpool might be ones to watch as well, as they’ve had a historical interest in Caicedo since before he moved to Brighton.
      “However, they never bid in January, contrary to what reports said. The reason for that is two-fold, one because they didn’t see value at the kind of figures being quoted and two, because the agent situation was complicated and those are not the type of deals that Liverpool normally do.
      “But if we get to the summer and the deal becomes simpler and falls within Liverpool’s valuation then they could go for Caicedo too.”
      Meanwhile, Caicedo’s agent, Manuel Sierra, has slammed Brighton for denying his client a dream move.
      The South American has taken the Premier League by storm since stepping into the Brighton set-up initially under Potter following a £5m move from Independiente del Valle in his homeland two years ago.
      Under current manager Roberto De Zerbi his development has continued at a rapid pace, with Brighton continuing to march up the table. More

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      Man City charged LATEST: Club could face expulsion or RELEGATION after being charged with over 100 financial breaches

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      PREMIER LEAGUE champions Manchester City could be EXPELLED from top-flight English football after their breach of 100 financial rules allegations.Other possible punishments include a points deduction for the reigning champions, transfer bans, spending limits and even the stripping of previous titles.
      The investigation into the club’s dealings has lasted for four years.
      And now the Premier League have published their findings on their website – and it does not make good reading for the Etihad club, although at this stage they have been charged but not found guilty.
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      Stay tuned with all the latest transfer news…
      City ‘punishment’ revealed
      Manchester City could reportedly only be. handed a “small points” deduction, according to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol.
      He said on Sky Sports: “The overall sense is that most people expect this to end up with Manchester City to receive a small points deduction as punishment for the charges they face from the Premier League.”
      This would be significantly less serious than some of the punishments that have been reported.
      City could follow Juve
      The history and present struggles of Juventus may put a further dampener on the mood of Manchester City fans.
      City have pledged to fight the Premier League financial charges that threaten the future of the club. But Italian giants Juventus were also determined to fight their corner amid the 2006 “calciopoli” scandal and this term’s “capital gains” investigation which brought them a 15-point Serie A deduction.
      Since that penalty was imposed last month, the Old Lady dropped five points out of six.
      Juventus have appealed but Max Allegri’s seemingly shell-shocked side  have now found themselves well adrift of the final Champions League place.
      This is just the latest financial scandal to affect the Turin outfit, with the most serious seeing them relegated to Serie B 17 years ago.
      Juve were among the clubs sanctioned over the scandal which saw club chiefs interfering in refereeing appointments — although there was no evidence of match-fixing.
      But the Serie A winners received the heaviest punishment — with relegation and a nine-point penalty for the following season.
      Coach Fabio Capello and stars including Zlatan Ibrahimovic quit the club. Juve, who were stripped of their 2005 and 2006 titles, did not win Serie A again until 2011-12.
      Premier League slammed
      Spain’s football chief Javier Tebas has accused Premier League bosses of dragging their heels over ­Manchester City’s alleged financial irregularities.
      The LaLiga president has regularly claimed City only pay lip service to Uefa’s financial rules — and accused the Etihad club of  “breaching the economic controls”.
      But while the Spaniard welcomed the decision by Prem bosses to levy allegations of 115 rule breaches against City, he suggested it has come far too late.
      Tebas said: “On May 9, 2017, we denounced the financial fair play breaches by Manchester City and PSG at the Soccerex convention in Manchester.
      “It is incredible it has taken the Premier League years to find it out.
      “We denounce many more such cases. Will it take as many years for them, too?”
      Tebas’ comments will only serve to further alienate Prem chiefs. Just last week, he accused our clubs of “cheating” financially.
      Tebas said then: “The British market is a doped market. Most of the clubs are economically doped.
      “It is a competition that has lost billions of pounds. This is financed with contributions from  patrons — in this case large American investors — who finance at a loss.”
      Haaland ‘not the first’
      Erling Haaland would not be the first member of his family to play for Manchester City in the second tier.
      The reigning champions face the prospect of going back to the Championship if Premier League charges against them stick.
      Striker Haaland, 22, will know his father Alfie played in the division in his final games for City in 2001.
      The midfielder had a decent record too — he made three sub appearances, with City winning two and drawing another one.
      He watched from the sidelines injured for much of the campaign as Kevin Keegan’s side won the division with 99 points.
      But Erling’s favourite competition is the Champions League – so the Championship may not appeal.
      Credit: Alamy
      Wenger has ‘no sympathy’
      Arsenal legend Arsene Wenger has admitted he has no sympathy for Manchester City amid the club’s charges for rule breaches.
      When asked about the Citizens, the Frenchman joked no because they “bought all my players”.
      He continued to say on Hayters TV: “I think this is a deep question, sport is to win by respecting the rules.
      “We celebrate the best as long as they respect the rules. Rules exist and you have to respect them.”
      Credit: Getty
      Recap on today
      Here is a brief summary of what has been said about Manchester City’s charges today.

      Manchester City are “confident in their position” regarding the rule breaches they have been charged with.
      Newcastle have reportedly made it part of their strategy to avoid facing the same charges are Manchester City, according to reports.
      Manchester City have reportedly hired one of Boris Johnson’s “partygate” lawyers to help defend the club against charges from the Premier League.
      Pep Guardiola has become the second most likely Premier League manager to leave his job following the charges brought upon the club.
      Manchester City are reportedly still set to press ahead with their planned transfer business despite the charges of rule breaches hanging over their heads.

      City are ‘confident’ on charges
      Manchester City are “confident in their position” regarding the rule breaches they have been charged with.
      BBC journalist Mike Minay said: “It’s understood City were not given advance warning of the statement but are confident in their position (including those issues time-barred from UEFA) and believed to have provided this to PL some time ago.”
      Credit: Reuters
      Magpies looking to avoid City breaches
      Newcastle have reportedly made it part of their strategy to avoid facing the same charges are Manchester City, according to reports.
      Football Insider have said that the newly Saudi-owned side want to avoid charges being brought against them.
      Richard Busby – CEO of BDS Sponsorship, said: “With regards to City specifically, I don’t know a great deal besides the extensive information that is already in the public domain.
      “What I do know is that, privately, Newcastle particularly are well aware of it. I know from some of their comments that they don’t want to get into this situation.
      “Newcastle are being very sensible and saying: ‘We don’t want to go down this route’.”
      Big guns called
      Manchester City have reportedly hired one of Boris Johnson’s “partygate” lawyers to help defend the club against charges from the Premier League.
      The Lawyer report that City are now drafting in the biggest names from the legal professional to help defend their case.
      Respected lawyer Lord Pannick KC has been hired by the club as they look to clear their name.
      He has previously advised Boris Johnson over allegations that he partied in Downing Street during lockdown.
      Lord Pannick is widely believed to be one of the best barristers of his generation and is now set to be involved in what will likely be an extraordinary legal battle.
      It is also likely to be costly for club as Lord Pannick could reportedly be paid £80,000 a day, or £400,000 a week, should the case come to trial and he was to be working full-time.
      This wage would equal what star player Kevin De Bruyne is paid by the club.
      Ten Hag refuses City comment
      Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has refused to comment on the current issues amid charges of rule breaches.
      When asked about the cross-city rival’s situation, he remained focused on his own team.
      He said: “It’s about the match of the Roses.
      “It’s definitely a big game in this part of England, it’s a big game for us. We know we have Manchester City and Liverpool, but for our fans this means so much.
      “Our players are aware of that and know what to do.
      “I’m really happy with the process at home.
      “It’s great to have that connection at Old Trafford, but when we play away a lot of fans are following us.”
      Pep exit odds slashed
      Pep Guardiola has become the second most likely Premier League manager to leave his job following the charges brought upon the club.
      He is now only behind Southampton’s under fire boss Nathan Jones in the odds of William Hill.
      William Hill Spokesperson, Lee Phelps, said: “In an almost unprecedented set of events, we’ve been forced to dramatically shorten our price for Pep Guardiola to be the next Premier League manager to leave their post.
      “Our odds of 9/2 for the Spaniard to leave seem almost inconceivable given his previous price of 100/1 on Monday morning.
      “That makes the four-time Premier League winner the second favourite to depart their post, with under-fire Southampton boss, Nathan Jones, still the 2/5 frontrunner.”
      Transfer business ‘as usual’
      Manchester City are reportedly still set to press ahead with their planned transfer business despite the charges of rule breaches hanging over their heads.
      The club have been linked with stars such as Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice and James Maddison to revitalise their squad.
      And The Athletic have suggested that the club will press ahead with their moves this summer.
      Credit: Getty
      City ‘expect’ Pep exit
      Manchester City are reportedly expecting Pep Guardiola to leave the club before the final decision over the rule breaches is made.
      The Athletic has suggested that his contract – which runs to 2025 – might not be long enough to see him through what could be a long saga.
      The Spaniard has previously suggested he would quite the club if he thinks he has been lied to.
      He said: “I said to them: ‘If you lie to me, the day after I am not here.
      “I will be out and I will not be your friend any more.
      “I put my faith in you because I believe you 100% from day one and I defend the club because of that’.”
      Currently, the club has adopted a ‘business as usual’ approach and are not expecting the manager to walk yet.
      War cry
      Man City will throw EVERYTHING they have to beat the Premier League and destroy the financial charges that threaten their top flight status.
      City chiefs are determined to ensure victory in what has become a fight for survival with Prem bosses after they were charged with 115 breaches of League rules.
      SunSport revealed that Prem rivals want City booted out of the top flight if the charges are proved.
      But that means the Etihad outfit will fight the process all the way, which could even mean going to the High Court or even the SUPREME Court – the highest legal platform in England – if required.
      And just as in their victory over Uefa after the Champions League ban three years ago, City will unleash an army of lawyers to defeat the Prem legal team and put the charges to bed for good.
      City remain furious at the timing of Monday’s charge drop, which took place during a telephone conversation between the League club chief executive Ferran Soriano.

      City slickers
      Man City are at risk of being relegated from the Premier League if found guilty of alleged financial breaches.
      The club has been accused of more than one hundred breaches between 2009-2018.
      They face possible punishments including a points deduction, transfer bans, spending limits and and stripping of previous titles.
      Another potential punishment is expulsion from the league, meaning relegation and a drop into the Championship.
      City have been in the top flight since the 2002-03 season, having won the Championship in 2002 with an impressive 99 points.
      That team included Erling Haaland’s dad Alfe-Inge, though he was a bit-part player with the likes of Stuart Pearce, Shaun Goater, and Shaun Wright-Phillips firing the Citizens to the Prem.

      Feeling blue
      City insist they would be “vindicated” in a defiant statement – but Premier League clubs want blood and a swift verdict AND punishment before the end of the season.
      One club chief said: “If these charges are proven there must be proper punishment – and the only fitting one is for them to be relegated.
      “We’re talking about a decade of alleged abuses and want the Premier League to do the right thing.”
      Should they be found guilty, the ramifications could be catastrophic for City – and even Pep Guardiola.

      Pep talk
      Pep Guardiola was pictured sitting on a drinks cooler box as he watched his players in action, seemingly deep in touch.
      On the pitches, his players got on with their drills, less than 24 hours after the defeat to Tottenham in North London.
      Guardiola had complained about the “exhausting” trip to the capital – but clearly had little sympathy for his stars following the loss.
      It seems those who did not start the match – such as Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Kalvin Phillips – were called in and put through their paces.

      Pool drained
      Liverpool are rock-bottom of the Premier League table… for results gained in 2023.
      And quite incredibly, it’s former strugglers Nottingham Forest who lead the way after a stunning turnaround under Steve Cooper.
      Liverpool have picked up just one point in four games this year.
      Despite signing Cody Gakpo, the Reds have been unable to strike up a winning formula on the field.
      And following their 3-0 hammering at Wolves, Jurgen Klopp’s men boast an awful goal difference of minus eight.
      But up the other end of the table, Forest are flying high thanks to their brilliant January.
      Last year’s play-off winners started the season poorly and were tipped by many for an immediate relegation.
      However, no side has picked up more points in 2023 than Forest, who also boast several clean sheets in the process.
      Next up are Brighton and Brentford, who have each gained an impressive 10 points after flying starts to the new year.
      Man Utd and Aston Villa have also reached that strong tally, albeit by playing an extra game.
      Man City and Spurs then fellow closely just one point behind.
      But Tottenham’s total of nine seems less impressive considering they have played six times since the turn of the year – the joint-most of any side.
      Interestingly, league leaders Arsenal are next with just seven points after dropping points to Newcastle and Everton.

      Peeved Pep
      Pep Guardiola had a face of thunder when he was seen for the first time since the news of City’s alleged financial breaches broke.
      The Premier League released the findings of their four-year investigation yesterday morning.
      Guardiola then put the bombshell, unprecedented allegations aside to prepare for Sunday’s home clash with Aston Villa.

      ‘Transparent’
      Yaya Toure’s former agent Dimitri Seluk has DENIED getting secret payments from Manchester City amid a number of charges levelled at the club.
      City are facing more than 100 allegations of breaches of financial rules following a four-year investigation.
      Among the reported charges are allegations that Seluk received secret payments from Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group during his ex-client’s time at the club.
      However, Seluk told the Daily Mail: “No, everything was transparent, there was nothing on the back side.
      “I am interested to see what happens as this was a surprise.
      “Yaya, of course, paid everything – tax and everything. It was all transparent.”

      Numbers game
      The two sides battling it out to win the Premier League title both lost this weekend.
      Arsenal were hit by the famous new-manager bounce as Sean Dyche’s Everton took a deserved 1-0 win at Goodison Park on Saturday.
      On Sunday, though, Manchester City missed the chance to close the gap at the top of the table to two points by suffering the same scoreline at Tottenham.
      But how does that impact how the season is predicted to finish?
      Mikel Arteta will breathe a sigh of relief as his side are still expected to win the Premier League for the first time since 2004 come the end of May.
      The number-crunching BETSiE is convinced the defeat at Everton is just a blip – and the Gunners will march on to lift the trophy.
      The Betting Expert supercomputer simulated the remainder of the season a whopping 100,000 times, taking into account results so far this season, pre-season expectations and xG for and against for all 20 clubs.
      And the results churned out will make happy reading for Arsenal fans.
      The figures project the Gunners to end the season with 27.1 wins, 5.6 draws and 5.3 defeats – with a grand total of 86.9 points.
      And that would see Arteta’s men finish exactly seven clear of rivals Manchester City on 79.9 – with 24.5 wins, 6.5 draws and 7.1 defeats.

      Out of sight
      Man City could be EXPELLED from the Premier League after being charged with alleged breaches of financial rules.
      In theory if City were kicked out of the league, all of their results this season could be wiped off the board.
      Dover Athletic saw their results expunged in the 2020-21 National League campaign when they failed to see out the season, meaning the remaining teams officially played 42 games instead of 44.
      Should that be replicated, the seven sides to pick up points against City this campaign would see those results taken away.
      A number of punishments for City are possible – from a slap on the wrist and a fine to enforced relegation or even expulsion from the Prem.
      And a Prem table if City were expelled today, with all of their results wiped, leaves Arsenal ELEVEN points clear at the top.

      City break their silence
      An independent commission will now hear the charges levelled against the Premier League champion.
      City released a statement on Monday insisting they are confident of not having breached any rules.
      It read: “Manchester City FC is surprised by the issuing of these alleged breaches of the Premier League Rules, particularly given the extensive engagement and vast amount of detailed materials that the EPL has been provided with.
      “The Club welcomes the review of this matter by an independent Commission, to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position.
      “As such we look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.”
      Credit: Getty
      Not Gunner believe this
      An Arsenal member will chair the independent commission into Manchester City following their alleged breaches of financial rules.
      The reigning champions have been charged by the Premier League with more than 100 breaches between 2009 and 2018.
      City are now facing a potential points deduction, while other punishments could include transfer bans, spending limits and even having their previous titles stripped.
      At this stage City have been charged but not found guilty.
      The man set to be investigating their off the field conduct is Arsenal member Murray Rosen KC.
      According to BBC, Rosen has been appointed as the chair of the independent commission looking into City’s wrongdoings.

      Ji-nius
      Ex-Man City defender Sun Jihai is now a businessman and talk show host worth £20MILLION.
      The ex-China international, 45, spent six years in the blue half of Manchester between 2002 and 2008.
      He played 130 times for City, helping them return to the top flight during his first six months at the club.
      He also made history at Man City by becoming the first Chinese player to score in the Premier League.
      Jihai went on to spend a season with Sheffield United in the Championship as City sold him following their 2008 takeover.
      He enjoyed seven more years playing back in China, accumulating 80 caps for his country, before eventually hanging up his boots in 2016.
      But he has arguably had more success since retiring from football.
      Jihai co-founded a sports data company, HaiQui Sports [HQ], in the year he retired from the game.

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