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      Man Utd Premier League title winner makes transfer return to first club aged 33 as former side hail ‘world-class’ star

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      MANCHESTER UNITED hero Shinji Kagawa has rejoined childhood club Cerezo Osaka after a successful career in Europe.Kagawa, 33, returned to his homeland after a short stint at Sint-Truiden with his career seemingly coming full circle.
      Ex-Manchester United ace Shinji Kagawa returned to Cerezo OsakaCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      Osaka’s website announced: “Shinji Kagawa – He’s HOME!
      “We are pleased to announce that Shinji Kagawa will join from Sint-Truiden on a permanent transfer.
      “A press conference will be held on February 11.”
      Kagawa’s former club issued a touching farewell as they described him as a “world-class player”.
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      Sint-Truiden’s sporting director Andre Pinto said: “We are honoured that such a world-class player as Kagawa has been a part of Sint-Truiden.
      “Shinji regularly showed his class during his time with us, and he was also a mentor to our young players.”
      Kagawa kicked off his professional career with Osaka in 2006 at the tender age of 17 years old and amassed a whopping total of 57 goals as well as 17 assists in 127 appearances.
      That earned the midfielder a blockbuster move to Borussia Dortmund in 2010.
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      The former Japan international won two consecutive Bundesliga titles with Dortmund in 2011 and 2012, which is when he undertook the biggest challenge of his career.
      That was when he joined United on Sir Alex Ferguson’s final year in charge.
      Kagawa won the Premier League and the Community Shield with the Red Devils in 2013.
      The Japanese star left Old Trafford just a year later, with six goals and 10 assists in 57 appearances under his belt.
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      Shinji Kagawa joined Manchester United in 2012 and spent two yearsCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      Kagawa returned to Dortmund and stayed for another five years, one of which he spent on loan at Besiktas.
      He then underwent short spells at Real Zaragoza, PAOK and of course Sint-Truiden. More

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      Premier League best XI of January transfers revealed including Chelsea pair and three-time Champions League winner

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      AN ASTONISHING £815million was spent by Premier League clubs on transfers in January.Big spenders Chelsea account for a large chunk of that, splashing £326m on eight players.
      Enzo Fernandez has landed in the Premier League for a British transfer record feeCredit: PA
      Three-time Champions League winner Keylor Navas has joined a newly promoted teamCredit: Getty
      While the likes of Bournemouth made more shrewd signings, bringing in some highly rated talent from across Europe.
      League leaders Arsenal, meanwhile, pinched one of Chelsea’s star men, who helped the West London club win the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup.
      Players who have won some of football’s biggest prizes also ended up on English shores.
      A World Cup winner joined Todd Boehly’s Blues revolution in a British transfer record.
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      While a three-time Champions League winner joined a newly promoted team hoping to stay up in the top flight at the first time of asking.
      Here’s SunSport’s best January 2023 transfer team…
      SunSport’s January 2023 best transfer XI
      Keylor Navas – Nottingham Forest
      The 36-year-old joined Nottingham Forest on loan from Paris Saint Germain.
      Navas is a three-time Champions League winner and also has three league titles to his name.
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      He will hope to dislodge on-loan star Dean Henderson.
      Pedro Porro – Tottenham
      The Spain international completed a late January transfer, which at one point looked on the brink of collapse.
      Spurs then returned to negotiations with Sporting Lisbon and thrashed out a £42m deal.
      Porro was previously on Manchester City’s books.
      Illia Zabarnyi – Bournemouth
      Bournemouth’s new owners are hoping to beat the drop and splashed the cash on the some talent.
      And 20-year-old Football Manager wonderkid Zabarnyi was snapped up from Dynamo Kyiv for £24m.
      Benoit Badiashile – Chelsea
      The Frenchman was part of Boehly’s New Year spend-up.
      Joining from Monaco for £35m, the 21-year-old has looked like a Rolls Royce of a defender next to veteran Thiago Silva.
      Solid on the ball. Imposing in the air. Lots to like.
      Victor Kristiansen – Leicester City
      Leicester have had a turbulent campaign so far and needed to dip into the transfer market.
      And so they looked into the Danish market and came back with a 20-year-old left-back for £17.5m.
      Kristiansen is an impressive Danish youth star, who already had 73 professional appearances to his name for Copenhagen.
      Jorginho – Arsenal
      Arguably the best deal of the January transfer window for just £12m.
      Arsenal couldn’t find a breakthrough in their pursuit of Moises Caicedo and instead pinched one of their rival’s main stars.
      Ex-Chelsea ace Jorginho is a Champions League, Super Cup, Club World Cup and Euro 2020 winner, bringing a wealth of experience to Mikel Arteta’s Prem-topping team.
      Enzo Fernandez – Chelsea
      The World Cup-winning Argentine took football by storm with his performances in Qatar last year.
      He was the young player of the tournament, and helped Lionel Messi complete football.
      Just six months on from joining Benfica for a modest fee under £20m from River Plate, 22-year-old Fernandez has completed a £107m transfer to Chelsea.
      It was a club and British transfer record.
      Joao Gomes – Wolves
      Struggling Prem side Wolves were in need of reinforcements under the new leadership of Julen Lopetegui.
      Six players were brought in, but the most impressive is 21-year-old Gomes.
      Joining from Flamengo for £15m, he will look to provide some steely determination alongside an already impressive midfield cohort of Ruben Neves, Matheus Nunes and Joao Moutinho.
      Mykhailo Mudryk – Chelsea
      The first Ukrainian wonderkid to end up in the Prem last month, followed by Zabarnyi.
      Mudryk, 22, joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk for £88m.
      His debut was more than impressive at Anfield, nearly breaking the deadlock after a mazy run.
      Cody Gakpo – Liverpool
      One of the World Cup’s stars, scoring three for Holland in their run to the quarter-finals.
      Gakpo joined Liverpool from PSV for £45m, and is seen as one of the bargains of the window.
      Racked up a few appearances for Liverpool since joining, but he is yet to find the back of the net.
      Antoine Semenyo – Bournemouth
      Joined from Championship outfit Bristol City for just £10.5m.
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      Semenyo, 23, featured at the World Cup for Ghana, and has finally made the switch to the top flight.
      Quick and a strong finisher. More

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      How Chelsea could line up next season with EIGHT new players breaking into team as they eye even more transfers

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      MORE than HALF A BILLION pounds has been spent on players by new Chelsea owner Todd Boehly.The American took over from Roman Abramovich in May last year and has wasted little time making a huge impact on the transfer market.
      Enzo Fernandez joined Chelsea for a British record fee on deadline dayCredit: EPA
      Christopher Nkunku has reportedly agreed a deal to join Chelsea in the summerCredit: Getty
      Enzo Fernandez broke the British transfer record by joining the Blues for £107m on deadline day.
      He became Chelsea’s EIGHTH arrival in the January window alone, following the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile and Joao Felix to Stamford Bridge.
      Fernandez, Mudryk and Badiashile will all expect to be mainstays in Graham Potter’s team for the foreseeable future.
      And Felix could well join them in Chelsea’s XI next season if his loan move is made permanent.
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      How Chelsea could line up next season
      If that is to be the case, the club will almost certainly have an entirely new front three come the start of the 2023/24 campaign compared with the one they fielded at the end of 2022.
      That’s because RB Leipzig and France star Christopher Nkunku has reportedly signed to join Chelsea for £53m in the summer.
      He could be tasked with leading the line, flanked by Mudryk and Felix.
      Fernandez will slot in behind them in midfield.
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      And he may be joined by summer targets Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo.
      West Ham skipper Rice, 24, and Brighton star Caicedo, 21, have both been linked with Chelsea and Arsenal.
      But Boehly has shown he is not afraid to splash the cash and could beat the Gunners to the punch.
      That would mean a front SIX consisting entirely of players signed in 2023.

      But in defence there is more chance of stability, with full-backs Ben Chilwell and Reece James expected to keep their places.
      Keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is another set to remain first choice, with Thiago Silva providing the team with an experienced head alongside new boy Badiashile.
      Despite all the money they have spent, Chelsea are in danger of failing to qualify for Europe.
      They are 10th in the Premier League table, but do still have a chance of winning the Champions League as they prepare for a last-16 tie against Borussia Dortmund.
      Declan Rice is expected to leave West Ham at the end of the seasonCredit: Getty
      Moises Caicedo has been linked to both Arsenal and ChelseaCredit: Getty
      Chelsea made two of the biggest transfers ever in January 2023 More

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      Furious Everton fans turn up at Finch Farm to protest against board after failure to sign striker in January transfer

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      FURIOUS Everton fans turned up to the club’s Finch Farm training ground to protest against the board after they failed to sign a striker in the January transfer window.Toffees fans have been discontent with owner Farhad Moshiri and Co for a while with the club making very little progress, despite big spending on transfers and a new stadium under construction.
      Everton failed to land a striker in January and so fans continued their protest outside the club’s Finch Farm training groundCredit: PA
      The Merseyside club are currently sat 19th in the Premier League and level on bottoms with 20th Southampton.
      Frank Lampard was sacked, academy graduate Anthony Gordon forced a £45million transfer to Newcastle and Sean Dyche was hired with the task of beating the drop.
      But Everton failed to bolster their squad, despite the influx of cash from the Gordon deal and promising to buy a striker.
      Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher and Hakim Ziyech, Southampton’s Che Adams and Rennes ace Kamaldeen Sulemana were all in the news over potential transfers.
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      However, Everton were unsuccessful in landing any of their targets.
      Olivier Giroud was also offered big money to come and save Everton’s season, but the Frenchman declined in favour of a stay at AC Milan.
      And talks were held over Crystal Palace frontman Jean-Philippe Mateta.
      On deadline day, Everton fans descended on Finch Farm to protest against the ownership.
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      A banner with the faces of Everton chiefs Moshiri, Bill Kenwright and Denise Barrett-Baxendale could be seen with the word “liars” plastered on it.
      Another banner read: “This is our club, not yours. It’s time to go.”
      Everton could bring in a forward after the deadline.
      According to the Daily Mail, Andre Ayew is expected to arrive in England in the next 24 hours after receiving a £2.5million golden handshake freeing him to return to the Prem.
      Ayew left Qatari club Al Sadd.
      The former Swansea and West Ham star is attracting interest from Everton, but the chances of a deal being struck are 50-50. More

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      Enzo Fernandez’s £107m Chelsea deal to land River Plate biggest ever transfer fee as massive sell-on clause is revealed

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      CHELSEA paid a British record transfer fee to land Enzo Fernandez on deadline day. Fernandez finally completed the Stamford Bridge switch after Chelsea coughed up £107million to land the 22-year-old World Cup winner.
      River Plate are set to receive a huge influx of fees from Enzo Fernandez’s Chelsea transferCredit: AFP
      Fernandez has signed for the Blues in a record breaking £107million dealCredit: Reuters
      However, selling club Benfica will not be receiving the full sum of the payment.
      Instead, a quarter of the deal will head back to River Plate in Argentina.
      Fernandez left River only last summer to join Benfica for just £8.8m up front [£16m with add-ons].
      And half a year on, after starring performances for Benfica and for Argentina at the World Cup, the South American’s have received another massive influx of income from his sale.
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      With a 25 per cent sell-on clause inserted into his transfer to Benfica, the massive turnover the Portuguese giants have secured will see River collect a cool £26.5m.
      Added bonuses mean overall River will receive £36.2m (€41m) from the Fernandez sale.

      The club’s previous transfer record stood as the £31m (€35m) they received from Barcelona in 2001 for striker Javier Saviola.
      The fee is also more than double what the club received for Manchester City star Julian Alvarez.
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      Fernandez’s deal to Chelsea obliterated the previous record held by Jack Grealish’s £100m transfer from Aston Villa to Man City.
      It also means Chelsea have two players in the top 10 Premier League transfers of all time from the January window, the other being Mykhailo Mudryk.
      Fernandez is expected to be joined in London by stunning Wag Valentina Cervantes.
      Chelsea made two of the biggest transfers ever in January 2023 More

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      Andre Ayew ‘travelling to UK for Everton talks after receiving £2.5m golden handshake – but transfer is 50/50’

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      ANDRE AYEW is reportedly set to fly to the UK within the next 24 hours ahead of a potential move to Everton.The former Swansea and West Ham forward, 33, was under contract at Qatari club Al Sadd after agreeing a two-year deal in July 2021.
      Andre Ayew could be set for a return to the Premier LeagueCredit: EPA
      And he was five games away from triggering a 12-month extension, but the two parties have now reached a compromise to pay him the remainder of his existing contract.
      That means Ayew will pocket £2.5m in a “golden handshake” agreement and be free to explore a potential return to European football.
      Now a free agent, The Mail are reporting that he will land in the UK within the next day.
      Everton are keen to tie him down on a deal until the end of the season.
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      It comes after a nightmare transfer window saw the Toffees miss out on a host of forward options.
      They included Arnaut Danjuma, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Ismaila Sarr, Odsonne Edouard and Jean-Philippe Mateta.
      They also missed out on Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher after having a £45million offer rejected.
      Everton chiefs are understood to have held preliminary conversations with Ayew over a possible deal as they look to back new manager Sean Dyche.
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      But the Merseyside club are not the only British side being linked with the forward.
      Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper coached Ayew for two years at Swansea and could yet attempt to swoop in and take him to the City Ground.
      Ayew, whose brother Jordan plays for Crystal Palace, scored nine goals in 55 Premier League games during his stints at West Ham and Swansea.

      He has also racked up 113 caps for Ghana, scoring 24 goals including one at the Qatar World Cup.
      A deal with Everton is said to be 50/50 at this moment in time as the Toffees try to bolster their squad ahead of a relegation battle.
      They sit 19th in the league table after just three wins from 20 games.
      Dyche’s first match in charge comes at home to high-flying Arsenal on Sunday. More

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      Three formations Man Utd could use to get best out of Marcel Sabitzer after loan transfer and Eriksen injury

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      MANCHESTER UNITED secured the loan signing of Marcel Sabitzer on transfer deadline day.And Erik ten Hag now has a versatile star to call upon for a host of tactical plans.
      Man Utd could potentially line up with new loan signing Marcel Sabitzer in three waysCredit: Getty
      Versatile Sabitzer is most likely to line up in a midfield two with Casemiro
      Sabitzer, 28, was poached from Bayern Munich following the news that Christian Eriksen had been ruled out injured until May.
      Despite reports of interest from Chelsea, United moved quickly to strike terms with the player and his club.
      And despite cutting it close to the deadline, the Red Devils managed to get a deal done for Sabitzer on time.
      A box-to-box midfielder by trade, Sabitzer is most likely set to slot in as Eriksen’s direct replacement alongside Casemiro.
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      That would allow United to keep their most tried-and-trusted shape under Ten Hag.
      But Sabitzer started life as a right winger at RB Leipzig.
      And he could be an option ahead of Antony and Jadon Sancho on the flank if Ten Hag wants more midfield control with Fred or Scott McTominay.
      Sabitzer is equally capable of playing as an attacking No10 behind the striker.
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      Sabitzer could be an option for United on the right wing
      Another option is to play Sabitzer as a No10, allowing Bruno Fernandes to go wide
      That position tends to be occupied by Bruno Fernandes.
      But the Portuguese maestro has also shown he can dictate play from out wide.
      And that could allow a tactical shuffle for Marcus Rashford to go up top, with Tyrell Malacia overlapping Fernandes as a wing-back.

      It now remains to be seen when Sabitzer makes his debut, with a starting spot in tonight’s Carabao Cup semi against Nottingham Forest unlikely.
      But Saturday’s home match against Crystal Palace could provide the perfect opportunity, with United then hosting rivals Leeds next week. More

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      Chelsea to continue transfer splurge with huge push for Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo in summer but face Arsenal fight

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      CHELSEA are reportedly set to continue their transfer splurge in the summer with huge pushes for Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo but face a fight with rivals Arsenal.New Blues owner Todd Boehly has splashed over £600million since the takeover in May 2022.
      Declan Rice remains a top target for ChelseaCredit: Rex
      The Blues could reignite their interest in Brighton’s Moises CaicedoCredit: PA
      Over £300m of that was spent in the January transfer window just gone with Chelsea setting a club, and British, record deal in signing World Cup-winning Argentine, Enzo Fernandez.
      The 22-year-old midfielder joined on deadline day for £107million, surpassing the record set by Manchester City for the purchase of Jack Grealish for £100m.
      Chelsea will be hoping their transfer splurge will fire them back into Champions League contention, with the West London club sat 10th in the Premier League.
      But regardless of their league finish this term, the spending is set to continue in the summer of 2023.
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      According to Football London, Chelsea would like to sign Brighton midfielder Caicedo and West Ham captain Rice.
      Caicedo has impressed since his low-cost move from Ecuador last season, while Rice has been on Chelsea’s radar for a number of seasons.
      Rice is, of course, an ex-Chelsea academy player, but was released at 14.
      But Chelsea will face a fight for both players with London rivals Arsenal also keen on the midfielders.
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      And Mikel Arteta’s Gunners could have significant pulling power over Chelsea if they hold their nerve and win the Premier League.
      It is also likely that Champions League football will return to the Emirates, whereas Chelsea will need to fight the likes of Newcastle, Manchester United and Tottenham for a spot in Europe’s elite club competition.
      Both players won’t come cheap, with Brighton turning down bids north of £60m from Arsenal last month for 21-year-old Caicedo despite a public plea to be allowed to leave.
      Hammers captain Rice is also unlikely to be snapped up for cheaper than £70m. More