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    Stoke boss Alex Neil plans transfer raid for Leicester keeper Daniel Iversen after failing to sign him for Sunderland

    STOKE CITY’S new boss Alex Neil has his sights on Leicester City keeper Daniel Iversen.Neil had the great Dane at Preston on loan and wanted him at Sunderland.
    Alex Neil wants to sign Leicester keeper Daniel IversenCredit: Reuters
    But the new Stoke boss missed out in the last window when he was still at the Stadium of Light.
    However, Neil is going to push his money men to invest in Iversen.
    And he may have a chance with the player if he is stuck as second choice with the Foxes.
    Iversen, 25, has played just one game for Leicester.
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    That being the Carabao Cup triumph over Stockport last month.
    But he impressed during 18 months on loan at Preston, some of which was during Neil’s time in charge.
    Meanwhile, Dean Holden found out the hard way that football can be a hard business as he was sacked by old coaching school buddy Alex Neil.
    Holden took caretaker charge of Stoke City and won his only game but within hours he was axed.
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    That game being an excellent 1-0 win away at Blackburn.
    Ironically Holden had been on the same coaching course as Neil at the famous SFA headquarters in Largs. More

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    Liverpool’s transfer swoop for Spanish starlet Stefan Bajcetic was smart business and left Man Utd and Chelsea red-faced

    LIVERPOOL’S new Spanish starlet Stefan Bajcetic is looking like a smart capture – and leaving Manchester United and Chelsea with red faces.The Kop babe has been on Jurgen Klopp’s bench already.
    Manchester United and Chelsea were both admirers of Stefan Bajcetic, who was snapped up by LiverpoolCredit: Alamy
    But the reason he joined the club a year ago is down to their willingness to take a chance on landing him as a kid.
    Bajcetic joined Liverpool just before the new post Brexit rules came in and it could be one of the most well-timed transfers ever.
    Both United and Chelsea had been tracking the top talent for months.
    Although both sides decided against pursuing a move because of fears he would not be allowed into the country.
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    Bajcetic was given a 21 minute runout by Klopp in Liverpool’s 9-0 rout against Bournemouth.
    The 17-year-old has also played twice for the U21s this season.
    Meanwhile, Liverpool left back James Norris is wanted by Huddersfield Town – after they failed in a deadline deal.
    The Kop kid has impressed in the U21s.
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    He even trained with the first team last week.
    That led to the Terriers were told to wait.
    The 19-year-old has played six times for the U21s this season. More

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    Blackburn plot transfer swoop for Sunderland’s Ross Stewart if in-demand Ben Brereton Diaz leaves in January window

    BLACKBURN ROVERS will move for Sunderland’s Scottish hit man Ross Stewart if Ben Brereton Diaz leaves.Rovers looked into a move for Stewart in the last window and could offer him the kind of contract he wants.
    Blackburn Rovers are keen on Sunderland striker Ross StewartCredit: Alamy
    Rovers will move for Stewart if Ben Brereton Diaz leaves in JanuaryCredit: Getty
    Stewart’s deal is running out and new boss Tony Mowbray will be keen for him to extend his stay rather than lose a star man.
    However, Rovers are lurking.
    Everton, Fulham and Leeds missed out on Blackburn Rovers hit man Brereton Diaz when owners Venkys asked for more cash than they would pay.
    Frank Lampard was at the head of the queue for the Chile international’s signature.
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    The Toffees made an offer around £12million with extras that could have eventually reached £20 million.
    The Goodison club thought that would meet the asking price, but Blackburn’s tough negotiators said no.
    Brereton Diaz has netted four goals in eight Championship games so far this campaign.
    The 23-year-old bagged 22 in 37 games in the second tier last season.
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    Meanwhile Sunderland striker Stewart has an impressive five goals and three assists in seven Championship games this term.
    He netted 24 times in League One last season.
    And those helped fire the Black Cats to promotion. More

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    Tottenham REJECTED transfer approaches from Newcastle and Aston Villa for Moura but ace could leave for free next summer

    TOTTENHAM reportedly rejected multiple transfer approaches for Lucas Moura on deadline day.That is according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who claims Aston Villa and Newcastle both attempted to snatch him up with a late swoop.
    Tottenham refused to sell Moura on deadline dayCredit: Getty
    Villa boss Steven Gerrard had been seeking attacking reinforcements following the club’s disappointing start to the season.
    Meanwhile, Eddie Howe was scouting another forward to provide competition for Callum Wilson and record signing Alexander Isak.
    However, Tottenham refused to sell Moura despite the fact that he has less than 12 months remaining on his current contract.
    Spurs chiefs will now have to offer the Brazil international an extension if they don’t want to lose him for nothing next year.
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    Moura has fallen out-of-favour with Tottenham boss Antonio Conte this season.
    The Italian now favours Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison in attack, leaving little room for the former PSG star, who has played just 12 minutes of football this season after being ruled out of Tottenham’s last three fixtures with a calf injury.
    Conte has confirmed that he is suffering with a tendon issue which could keep him out of action for a number of weeks.
    Earlier this week, the Spurs boss said: “About Lucas, he has this inflammation in his tendon.
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    “I hope to recover him very soon, because for sure when I was a player, I had a lot of pain in my tendon.
    “You know very well tendon inflammation doesn’t finish in only one week, two weeks.” More

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    Chelsea signing Wesley Fofana STARTS against West Ham as ex-Leicester defender prepares to make debut at Stamford Bridge

    WESLEY FOFANA will make his Chelsea debut this afternoon after being named in their starting line-up for the clash with West Ham.The Blues defender, who penned a £70million transfer to Stamford Bridge earlier this week, will be looking to help Thomas Tuchel’s side recover from their defeat to Southampton on Tuesday.
    Fofana will start for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this afternoonCredit: Getty
    Chelsea XI to face West Ham: Mendy; Fofana, Silva, Koulibaly; James, Kovacic, Loftus-Cheek, Gallagher, Cucurella; Sterling, Pulisic.
    West Ham XI to face Chelsea: Fabianski; Coufal, Zouma, Kehrer, Emerson; Rice, Soucek, Bowen, Paqueta, Fornals; Antonio.
    Fofana is one of FIVE changes from the side which lost at St Mary’s.
    Reece James, Mateo Kovacic, Conor Gallagher and Christian Pulisic have all come back into the fold.

    Cesar Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Mason Mount, Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz all drop to the bench.
    Meanwhile, West Ham also have one of their new signings making his first start for the club.
    Attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta came on as a second half substitute in the 1-1 draw with Tottenham in midweek.
    And he now lines up from the off for the first time in a Hammers shirt.
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    West Ham are looking to hand Chelsea their third defeat of the season after just six league matches.
    Tuchel’s men ended up spending nearly £300m in the summer transfer window – a Premier League record.
    He brought in former Arsenal star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on deadline day to add to marquee acquisitions Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella.
    However, Aubameyang is not available for today’s game against West Ham as he recently suffered a broken jaw in an attack at his home. More

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    ‘We expected more’ – Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel reveals why he sold wonderkid Billy Gilmour to Brighton for £9m

    THOMAS TUCHEL has revealed Chelsea “expected more” from the departed Billy Gilmour. The Blues sold the Scottish midfielder to Brighton for £9million on transfer deadline day.
    Tuchel revealed that Gilmour wouldn’t ‘fulfil his potential’ at Chelsea this season and didn’t want to go out on loan againCredit: EPA
    Gilmour, 21, agreed a four-year deal at the Amex.
    And boss Tuchel has explained the decision behind the youngster’s move to Sussex.
    Tuchel said: “We had high hopes and he played for us in the first half a year when I was at Chelsea.
    “He played some important matches for us and looked for a new challenge that did not go so well for him with Norwich.
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    “We expected more, he expected more so it was like, without pointing a finger, but it is difficult also for him and for us to not succeed.
    “To not play at Norwich, to be relegated and then suddenly be a central midfielder for Chelsea and competing for top four and for every title.
    “There’s a huge step in between so we were looking, the ideal solution would have been maybe that he goes again on loan as the concurrence is huge for us in central midfield and we felt like he is not the age where he can live again with five or six or seven matches during a whole season to fulfil his own potential so ideally, it would have been another loan.
    “Billy did not want to go on loan, it was a no-go for him so in the end, we agreed to a sale.”
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    Gilmour made a stunning start to his Chelsea career under Frank Lampard but fell out of favour under Tuchel.
    After enduring a difficult loan spell with Norwich City last season, the German boss claims Gilmour did not fancy another temporary deal.
    The ace only made 11 Prem appearances for the West London club but continues to be a regular for his country.
    He was included in the Blues’ party for their pre-season tour to the USA but was then snubbed of a squad number at the start of the season.
    He subsequently joined the Seagulls and should be given more of a chance in Graham Potter’s line up.
    Head coach Potter said: “Billy arrives with a fantastic pedigree, having played in the Premier League and Champions League as well as for Scotland at last year’s Euros.
    “He will complement our existing midfield options.
    “That experience at quite a young age shows the strength of character he has and we’re really excited by his potential.
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    “Now it’s about allowing him the time to get used to a new environment and settling in to our club.
    “We can’t wait to work with him.” More

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    My verdict on Prem’s late deals including why Aubameyang’s perfect for Chelsea and how Antony to Man Utd bamboozles me

    THE close of the transfer window saw Premier League clubs battling to get season-saving deals over the line before time ran out.Here SunSport columnist Troy Deeney runs the rule over five of the biggest last-minute moves and reveals who will be a hit… and who could be a big-money miss.
    Wesley Fofana was one of many high-profile players signed by ChelseaCredit: Getty
    Wesley Fofana (Leicester to Chelsea)
    If you remember when Liverpool bought Virgil van Dijk, we all called that ridiculous.
    I’m not saying Wesley is Van Dijk but he is a very, very good footballer.
    Young, fresh and ready to learn from someone like Thiago Silva.
    It is an environment that demands the best.
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    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Barcelona to Chelsea)
    Good signing. It is what Chelsea needed and a position they have been crying out for all summer.
    He knows the Premier League and could really hit the ground running if given the service.
    The Blues managed to secure the services of ex-Arsenal skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on deadline dayCredit: Getty
    Antony (Ajax to Man Utd)
    Unbelievable footballer, skilful and technically gifted but do Manchester United need another winger?
    I don’t understand that project.
    At the start of the window they wanted a midfielder, now it’s a winger.
    Manchester United brought in Antony from Ajax in an £85.5million dealCredit: Getty
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    Alexander Isak (Real Sociedad to Newcastle)
    I have to give a shout out to this guy.
    I spent some time with him in Mykonos in the summer.
    He is a real good boy, good people around him. He is a natural striker and goalscorer.
    Alexander Isak scored on his Newcastle debut in the 2-1 defeat against Liverpool on WednesdayCredit: Alamy
    Neal Maupay (Brighton to Everton)
    I am not sure on this one. How will it work? When Dominic Calvert-Lewin plays, it is long balls and crosses into the box.
    I wouldn’t say Neal thrives on that. He is a good finisher but may struggle in that system.
    Striker Neal Maupay swapped Brighton for Everton in the summer transfer windowCredit: Getty
    Who are ya? Deadline day is fun for players
    For us players, deadline day can be quite entertaining.
    We were actually going through it all at Birmingham on Thursday with a couple of signings and more rumours and links and medicals being booked.
    You end up turning into a fan yourself. Who is he? What’s his name? You are googling them and some names you haven’t heard of or you don’t know their background.
    We were sat down eating breakfast and we have got two lads who have left, and we were laughing saying that they would have normally been with us.
    We then trained, came back in and then had a few players expected to come in by lunch. That’s just how quickly it works.
    At 9am we are two players down and by 2pm we have one in.
    It is very, very rare that we know what is going on with transfers at our own clubs. You can sometimes suss it out, like a fan does, if there is too much noise around one guy.
    And if your club is signing someone, you’re thinking: ‘I hope he is not my position. I hope he is not replacing me’. It is natural.

    On the flip side, you get excited about good players getting in and start thinking how he will improve the team.
    And once they’re in, it is about getting them settled as quickly as possible so they can hit the ground running on the pitch.
    I felt that myself. I moved from Walsall to Watford in 2010 on the morning of the first game of the season, a Friday night game away at Norwich.
    I signed at 11am and by the time I got to the group it was around 4pm and the game kicked off at 7.45pm.
    I had a few hours to get to know people’s names and it was difficult for me. I was 21 at the time. Having experienced that, it is now my job to make new players feel welcome.
    We had a guy whose first day was on Thursday, so the first thing I do is go over, introduce myself. If you need anything at the club or around the area, give me a shout.
    Are you up here on your own? Do you have family? Are you single? You have kids?
    Let’s get to know you as quickly as possible, let’s get you in the WhatsApp group chat, let’s get the banter flying and make it as seamless as possible.

    You keep trying to integrate them for as long as it takes but some  players are introverts. They don’t trust you and want to be in the group chats. It is difficult.
    There are times in the back of your head when you’re thinking: ‘Cheeky b*****d, I’m trying to help you’.
    But you often forget, we only spend three or four hours a day together.
    The other 20 hours you have life going on, and they could have issues we aren’t used to or don’t know about.
    Not all humans get along and not everyone thinks the same but if that person keeps rejecting help then at some point they will end up not fitting in with the group.
    From most player perspectives it is about getting through it, and once the window is done you know this is our group now and what we are trying to do.
    I know people who were talking about leaving this summer because they aren’t playing. Suddenly that changes and they want to stay again.
    I have also had players from other clubs who I have played with before calling me saying: ‘I’ve got these options, what do you think?’ or debating over whether to join a Scottish club but commute from London.
    SunSport’s top 10 deals from deadline day
    That may sound weird but if it is a Tuesday and you want to go and have a cup of tea with your mum, it is a long old way back.
    The transfer window is now shut and opens again in January.
    To a normal civilian, that isn’t too long but if you are going to work every day knowing you’re not playing, you can feel like you have to make a rash decision that could affect your whole career and personal life.
    It is key to stress too that it isn’t just players who demand to leave.
    Often, it is managers and clubs who want players out. It works both ways.
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    After this weekend, that’s when you can start to judge a team.
    Traditionally, you would like the window to close before the season starts but, realistically, that wouldn’t work. More

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    ‘I couldn’t eat’ – New Man Utd star Antony’s teenage diary reveals brave 4-month journey from outcast to hero in Brazil

    ANTONY has completed an incredible journey from Sao Paulo to Manchester — via Amsterdam.The Brazilian winger, 22, is now preparing for his Manchester United debut after arriving from Ajax in a stunning £85.5million deal.
    Brazilian winger Antony came through the ranks at Sao Paulo before joining AjaxCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    Antony scored six goals in 52 games in all competitions for Sao PauloCredit: Getty
    While still a teenager, he wrote a book detailing his struggles in the Sao Paulo youth system while living in the city district of Osasco.
    Charlie Wyett leafs through his diary, From Overcoming A Real Dream, where he describes when he broke into the first team.

    How can four months change a person’s life? I went from distrust to glory in four months.
    I went from being unknown to one of the greatest prospects of Brazilian football. I left Osasco for the world. All this in four months.
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    In these four months I’ve needed to have a lot of strength, faith and the ability to overcome in order to reach my great objective: to be a pro footballer with Sao Paulo.
    I hope this diary serves as an inspiration for how life can change quickly when you believe in your target. It’s the beginning of a story that won’t stop for anything or anybody.
    2019 started in a sad way for me. I expected to play for Brazil’s Under-20s and for Sao Paulo in the Florida Cup. I didn’t get called up. I didn’t understand, I wanted a chance.
    I played in the Sao Paulo Cup, with my head up, and the rest is history.I grew in the competition, became more confident and my growth started there.
    Antony linked up with Manchester United on deadline day in an £85.5million dealCredit: Instagram @antony00
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    I had to be patient, I tried to listen and learn from the oldest players. When my chance came, I was going to grab it.
    I came on as a sub, we won, and I started to feel pleasure in what was to come in my career.
    I was sad I didn’t get picked for the next game. They changed coach. What would become of me, still trying to get my space?
    The new coach, Vagner Mancini, spoke to me a lot.
    From then on, the players began to receive me in a different way and to help me a lot. My confidence grew as I played more minutes.
    All that was missing was a goal and I scored a nice goal on March 20 against Sao Caetano.
    I didn’t know how to celebrate, I just wanted to take it all in. I will remember my first goal all my life, especially as it was so important as it meant us qualifying.
    We beat the favourites, Palmeiras, on penalties in the semi-final of the Brazilian league championship. It was the happiest time of my career.
    Antony could make his Red Devils debut against Arsenal at Old Trafford on SundayCredit: Instagram @antony00
    Former Ajax forward Antony won two Eredivisie titles with the Dutch clubCredit: Instagram @antony00
    I was so excited about the final against Corinthians. I was so anxious that I didn’t eat on the day of the game and I wasn’t well. I wasn’t the Antony of other games.
    I scored in the second leg. I started to think of the path I’d taken, remembering I’d been on the club’s discard list three times.
    And, suddenly, I was there in a final, scoring a goal.
    Unfortunately, we lost. I couldn’t contain my tears. After the game, I was able to take it in and feel satisfaction with the path to get there.
    After four months, I’m no longer the same Antony. How much I’ve developed.
    Now I will work double and learn double so that the path to success becomes a reality and a constant in my career. I lost a cup, I won a cup.
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    I learnt to lose and take good things even in defeat.
    I feel confident. When I enter the pitch, I do everything with heart and soul. I’m ready for the next challenges.
    Antony has been reunited with former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag and team-mate Lisandro Martinez at the Theatre of DreamsCredit: Instagram @antony00
    Antony scored 12 goals from 33 outings for Ajax during the 2022-23 campaignCredit: Instagram @antony00 More