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    Josko Gvardiol signs new RB Leipzig contract with Chelsea set to miss out on defender today but resume talks in January

    CHELSEA have suffered frustration in their attempts to sign RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol. The Blues have been trying to bring the 20-year-old Croatian international to Stamford Bridge for several weeks.
    Chelsea target Josko Gvardiol has penned a contract extension at RB LeipzigCredit: Getty
    And they hoped to be able to push through a transfer deal worth around £77million before tonight’s deadline.
    However, Thomas Tuchel now appears to have lost out Gvardiol for now after he penned a new one-year contract extension at Leipzig.
    After committing his future to the Bundesliga club until 2027, the ex-Dinamo Zagreb ace said: “I really enjoy being here and I wanted to stay here. 
    “We have a lot of work to do and a lot to achieve here. We have a good team and we’re ready.
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    “We’re in the Champions League and won the DFB-Pokal last season. We want to compete for trophies once again.
    “I’m grateful to the club for counting on me and planning with me long-term.”
    The potential switch to Chelsea collapsed as it left Leipzig with a race against the clock to find a replacement.
    But transfer guru Fabrizio Romano claims that talks between the two clubs over a deal for Gvardiol will continue once the transfer window re-opens in January.
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    Chelsea have managed to bolster their defence this summer with two other big-money recruits.
    They splashed out £70m to Leicester for Wesley Fofana earlier this week.
    And that followed the £34m arrival of Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli in July.
    Gvardiol has made a huge impact at Leipzig since joining the club last year.
    He made 46 appearances during his maiden campaign in the Bundesliga, helping the club to win the German Cup and reach the last four of the Europa League. More

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    Erik ten Hag says he has convinced Cristiano Ronaldo to STAY at Man Utd with superstar set to return to side v Leicester

    ERIK TEN HAG reckons he has convinced Cristiano Ronaldo to buy into his new era at Old Trafford.SunSport revealed on Tuesday that Manchester United were hopeful their wantaway star would make a U-turn following a club-record £206.7million summer transfer spree.
    Cristiano Ronaldo has been seeking an exit away from Manchester United this summerCredit: Getty
    Erik ten Hag has claimed he believes Ronaldo will be staying at Old TraffordCredit: Getty
    And asked if he had met with Ron, Ten Hag said: “Several times, yes. We are all on one page.
    “From the start we said we planned with him.
    “We are happy with him, he’s happy to be here and we want to make the season a success together.”
    Boss Ten Hag had grown frustrated with the circus surrounding 37-year-old Ronaldo.
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    A number of players wanted rid of him as they believed he was affecting the spirit in the camp.
    But with no bids for the Portuguese and the transfer window closing at 11pm on Thursday night, the only real option was to try to work together.
    Ronaldo has been out of the starting line-up for the last two games against Liverpool and Southampton.
    Ten Hag has opted for a front three of Anthony Elanga, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho.
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    But he could return to the starting line-up for this evening’s trip to Leicester with Anthony Martial still suffering from an Achilles injury.
    Ten Hag added: “He will fit in because… I don’t have to explain.
    “He is a great player. He will fit in every system or every style.”
    Ronaldo has featured in all four top-flight games this term, though he is yet to find the back of the net. More

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    Chelsea in shock £43m transfer bid for Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez but Dutch giants will NOT sell after losing Antony

    AJAX defensive midfielder Edson Alvarez has reportedly been the subject of a £43million bid from Chelsea.Blues boss Thomas Tuchel is keen to bolster his midfield before Thursday’s deadline with N’Golo Kante and Ruben Loftus-Cheek out injured.
    Chelsea have reportedly made an offer to sign Ajax midfielder Edson AlvarezCredit: Getty
    And it has been claimed they have made a swoop to sign Alvarez, who has been linked with Newcastle this summer.
    According to Telegraaf, a £43m offer has been lodged from the West London outfit for the Mexico international.
    It has been stated that the player is keen on a switch to Stamford Bridge and is seeking a move away.
    The Dutch news outlet insists Alvarez is wondering whether an opportunity like this will ever come again.
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    The report has declared that Alvarez could earn as much as four times more at Chelsea than he does at Ajax.
    But Ajax are adamant they will not part ways the player having sold a number of first team stars so far this window.
    Not only did they allow Lisandro Martinez and Antony to join Manchester United, but Noussair Mazraoui and Ryan Gravenberch both moved to Bayern Munich.
    Meanwhile Sebastian Haller linked up with Borussia Dortmund, Nicolas Tagliafico signed for Lyon and centre-back Perr Schuurs joined Torino.
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    Still, Alvarez is demanding Ajax enter negotiations with Chelsea in his quest to force through a move.
    Chelsea decided to make an approach for the ex-Club America ace following their 2-1 defeat away at Southampton on Tuesday night.
    Tuchel was heavily critical of his side after their performance at St Mary’s where he insisted they are not tough enough.
    He remarked: “It’s too easy to push us off the track, too easy to win challenges, too easy to bully us.
    “We’re not tough enough to win these matches away from home. It’s a little the same story as at Leeds.”
    Before adding: “We were lucky not to concede a third goal. We were not tough enough to react and push it over the line.
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    “Soft, soft, soft defending. You know what stops that? Pure mentality.
    “Just toughen up and show the mentality. I don’t like to talk about it because you can’t prove it with data or body position.” More

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    Leicester join transfer race for Craig Dawson from West Ham after finally selling Wesley Fofana to Chelsea for £70m

    LEICESTER have entered the race to sign West Ham defender Craig Dawson after finally selling Wesley Fofana. The Hammers have received approaches from both Aston Villa and Wolves in recent days, with the 32-year-old keen to secure a move.
    Craig Dawson has a number of interested clubs including LeicesterCredit: Getty
    West Ham boss David Moyes has added further depth at centre-back this summer with Thilo Kehrer and Nayef Aguerd arriving.
    A pre-season injury to Aguerd means that Moyes would want to replace Dawson should he leave.
    Talks have been held over a loan deal for Southampton defender Jan Bednarek, while the East London side have also asked about a deal for Leander Dendoncker at Wolves should Dawson move to Molineux.
    Wolves have already rejected an £8.5million offer from Everton for the Belgian, who can play as a defensive midfielder or central defender.
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    West Ham tried to sign Dendoncker, 27, from Anderlecht before he joined Wolves in 2018.
    Dawson has less than one year left on his deal at the London Stadium meaning the Hammers will want to secure a fee for the former West Brom man.

    West Ham paid Watford £2m to sign Dawson after he initially joined the club on loan.
    Given the interest in the defender, there is hope that they could make a profit on that deal should he move before the deadline.
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    Asked about Dawson’s future, Moyes said: “Ideally, we wouldn’t [lose him] but it’s probably a much more complicated situation than what it is.
    “So it is an ongoing thing at the moment and we’ll just have to see how it goes.”
    Leicester – who play Manchester United just before the transfer window closes – have Jonny Evans and Daniel Amartey as well as out-of-favour duo Caglar Soyuncu and Jannik Vestergaard as their remaining centre-backs after the £70m sale of Fofana to Chelsea. More

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    Justin Kluivert’s Fulham loan transfer ‘COLLAPSES after Roma star is denied work permit by the FA’ due to Brexit rules

    FULHAM’S move for Justin Kluivert has reportedly collapsed after the Roma star was denied a work permit due to Brexit.Di Marzio claims a loan transfer is totally off after the ex-Ajax winger was blocked from playing in England by the FA.
    Justin Kluivert has been denied a work permit to join Fulham due to Brexit rulesCredit: Getty
    Fulham agreed personal terms with Kluivert this month after new signing Manor Solomon picked up a major injury.
    After initial resistance from Roma, the Cottagers finally struck an agreement last week to bring Kluivert, 23, to the Premier League.
    However, the Times claims Brexit rules ended the Dutch ace’s hopes of cracking England’s top flight.
    It’s reckoned Kluivert, who spent last term on loan at Nice, was due to undergo a medical on Wednesday before discovering there was no chance of the move happening.
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    A new points system is in place for work permits after free movement of labour from the EU ended.
    Kluivert’s last season at Roma was during the 2020/21 campaign, when he made just two appearances before joining RB Leipzig on loan.

    And it means he was not given enough points to claim a UK work permit post-Brexit.
    Roma are said to be livid regarding the situation, as Kluivert had his heart set on Fulham and rejected other offers which came in.
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    It means the son of Holland legend Patrick has just one day remaining to sort an exit or find himself warming the bench in Italy.
    As for Fulham, they are hoping to confirm a hat-trick of signings before the market closes.
    The Cottagers remain locked in talks with Lyon over a £13million deal for playmaker Houssem Aouar.
    Marco Silva is also eyeing a move for PSG left-back Layvin Kurzawa.
    Finally, ex-Chelsea and Arsenal winger Willian is set to join for free after leaving Corinthians. More

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    Arsenal braced for Gabriel Martinelli raid as AC Milan line up £43m transfer for attacker if Chelsea sign Rafael Leao

    ARSENAL winger Gabriel Martinelli has emerged as a shock target for AC Milan as a possible replacement for Chelsea target Rafael Leao.Portuguese forward Leao has been linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge before Thursday’s deadline in a potential £126.1million transfer.
    Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli has been linked with a move to AC MilanCredit: AP
    Milan have reportedly identified Martinelli as a possible replacement for Rafael LeaoCredit: Getty
    It has been claimed that the Blues are in talks with the Serie A champions with Thomas Tuchel desperate to bolster his attack.
    And according to Calciomercatoweb, Milan have already identified who they want to replace the 23-year-old with should they sell him this window or in the future.
    Brazil international Martinelli is on the Rossoneri’s radar with the 21-year-old to be their No1 target.
    With the player tied down at the Emirates until 2024, Milan are said to believe they have a chance at prising the youngster away from North London.
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    It has even been said that Milan feel as though an offer in the region of £43million could be enough to secure his services.
    Despite whispers from Italy, there is no suggestion from Arsenal that they intend to allow Martinelli to leave anytime soon.

    And it remains to be seen whether the Gunners would accept £43m for a player deemed as vital for Mikel Arteta.
    Following Martinelli’s impressive start to the season, it is understood that Arsenal are keen to extend his stay at the club.
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    He is set to receive a huge pay rise having nailed down a starting position on the left wing.
    Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has likened Martinelli to former Liverpool and Barcelona ace Luis Suarez.
    Speaking on his Vibe with Five YouTube channel, he said: “Martinelli, if he stays fit, this guy, I’ve told you this before what Arteta told me.
    “He could be the next Suarez-type player.” More

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    Top ten biggest deadline day transfers including Bale to Real Madrid and Arsenal’s hat-trick of last-minute deals

    AS THE hours tick down to the 11pm transfer deadline, there are plenty of big deals still in the pipeline. Clubs in the Premier League and across Europe will be scrambling to finish their summer business in time.

    A number of top stars may still be on the move including Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Youri Tielemans and Mykhaylo Mudryk.
    But it would take some massive deals on Thursday to break into the top ten of deadline day transfers – with the top one surely set to stay for a long time…
    Gareth Bale: Tottenham to Real Madrid, £85.3m (2013)
    Not only is Bale’s switch to the Bernabeu the biggest transfer on deadline day ever, but it was once the world record.
    The long saga eventually culminated in the Welsh wizard spending nine years with Real, winning 16 trophies including five Champions Leagues before joining Los Angeles this summer.
    Gareth Bale completed his world-record transfer on deadline day in 2013Credit: Reuters
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    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: Dortmund to Arsenal, £55m (2018)
    Arsenal fans were understandably excited when the club dropped £55m on Aubameyang.
    Things started brilliantly for the Gabon international, so much so that he was awarded a huge new contract and the armband – before being struck by the captaincy curse and was shoved out by Mikel Arteta.
    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the second-biggest deadline day signing but left Arsenal for freeCredit: Getty – Contributor
    Fernando Torres: Liverpool to Chelsea, £50m (2011)
    This was a landmark transfer on a bonkers day in 2011 as Chelsea broke the record for the amount spent by an English club to lure Torres from Anfield.
    Despite his huge success for Liverpool, El Nino simply failed to deliver for the Blues and will always be recognised as a major flop in West London.
    Fernando Torres endured a torrid time at Stamford BridgeCredit: AFP
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    Thomas Partey: Atletico to Arsenal, £45m (2020)
    Arsenal toyed with Atletico by triggering his release clause right at the end of the window, forcing them to sell the Ghana man.
    Partey took his time to adjust to English football but is now showing why the Gunners splashed the cash with his dominant performances in midfield.
    Thomas Partey arrived in October 2020 when the transfer window dates were changed for CovidCredit: Getty

    Mesut Ozil: Real Madrid to Arsenal, £42.5m (2013)
    See Aubameyang. Another big-name signing that enthralled supporters with his sheer mastery.
    But after being handed a mega £350,000-per-week contract, it all went downhill and the club bought him out of his contract to let him leave for free.
    Mesut Ozil had a superb start at Arsenal but left under a cloudCredit: Getty – Contributor
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    Ronaldo: Inter to Real Madrid, £40.5m (2002)
    One of the most talented footballers of all time really rubbed salt into Barcelona’s wounds by joining Real Madrid, five years after leaving the Nou Camp for Inter.
    His five years produced 104 goals in 177 games but just two major honours, LaLiga in 2003 and 2007, as the Galacticos underdelivered.
    Ronaldo joined Real Madrid for £40.5m in 2002Credit: Reuters
    Anthony Martial: Monaco to Man Utd, £36m (2015)
    The Frenchman’s transfer broke the record fee paid for a teenager – with a further £22m in potential add-ons.
    Martial made an immediate impact with his stunning finish against Liverpool on his debut but has struggled to kick on – but now hopes to resurrect his United career under Erik ten Hag.
    Anthony Martial scored his famous goal against Liverpool on his United debutCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
    Andy Carroll: Newcastle to Liverpool, £35m (2011)
    Just a few hours before the Torres deal was signed, Carroll was the most expensive footballer in British transfer history after this ludicrous move from Newcastle.
    Unlike Luis Suarez who also arrived at Anfield in January 2011, it proved a waste of cash as Carroll managed 11 goals in 58 games before injury-hit spells at West Ham, Newcastle, Reading and West Brom.
    Andy Carroll was a major miss but Luis Suarez a big hit at LiverpoolCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
    Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: Arsenal to Liverpool, £35m (2017)
    Oxlade-Chamberlain was determined to be a central midfielder after Arsene Wenger insisted on using him out wide, even at wing-back.
    The England international landed a major switch to Liverpool.
    Despite Premier League, League Cup, FA Cup, Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup winner’s medals, it has still been personally disappointing for the Ox who has been ravaged by injuries.
    Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has struggled for a consistent run in the Liverpool teamCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
    Danny Drinkwater: Leicester to Chelsea, £35m (2017)
    This one went right down to the wire but the Blues may be wishing they didn’t get it over the line after all.
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    A year after snapping up N’Golo Kante for £30m the previous year, Chelsea raided Leicester again by offering Drinkwater a big-money move to Stamford Bridge.
    However, it did not work out at all as Drinkwater was released this summer with just 12 Premier League appearances and four loans.
    This was a familiar sight for Danny Drinkwater after he joined Chelsea from LeicesterCredit: Getty – Contributor More

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    Southampton set to beat Man Utd and Arsenal to Cody Gakpo transfer after ‘agreeing £25m fee with PSV and personal terms’

    SOUTHAMPTON are reportedly set to win the race for PSV Eindhoven star Cody Gakpo.Radio Solent claim the Saints have beaten Manchester United and Arsenal to the Dutch winger after striking a £25million deal with his club.
    Southampton are set to sign PSV Eindhoven star Cody GakpoCredit: Getty
    Gakpo, 23, had been strongly tipped to move to England before tonight’s Dutch transfer deadline.
    But Southampton have appeared from nowhere to snatch a deal at the last moment.
    Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side are flying high after beating Chelsea 2-1 last night.
    And they have now agreed a £25m deal with PSV for Gakpo’s signature.
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    Personal terms have also been secured and a move now looks imminent.
    Gakpo had been strongly linked with Man United despite their £84m capture of Ajax star Antony.
    Arsenal were also looking at Gakpo for more depth on the flanks.
    Yet it’s Saints who have emerged victorious after a transfer battle also involving Newcastle and Leeds.
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    The deal will be seen as a huge coup for Hasenhuttl, who has already reinforced with attacking talents such as Joe Aribo and Sekou Mara.
    Southampton’s business isn’t over yet either.

    Additional reports claim they have struck a loan deal with Arsenal for Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
    The versatile star can cover a number of positions for Saints.
    And the agreement also includes an option to buy next summer. More