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      Sambi Lokonga ‘p***ed off’ with Belgium boss Martinez and says he ‘almost snapped’ and asked for Arsenal transfer exit

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      ARSENAL midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga has revealed he almost quit both Arsenal AND the Belgium national team earlier this year.The 22-year-old joined the Gunners from Anderlecht for £18million in the summer of 2021.
      Lokonga has taken aim at both club and country for their recent treatment of himCredit: Getty
      He started 16 times under Mikel Arteta last season, but was often reduced to being used as a back-up in the middle of the park.
      This consequently saw him struggle for game time with his country as Belgian boss Roberto Martinez opted to leave him on the bench in both of their friendly matches in March.
      And it has left Lokonga furious with the former Wigan and Everton manager as the World Cup fast approaches.
      Speaking to La Derniere Heure, he said: “I called him the day after the international match in March. I was really p****d off.
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      “I thought for a moment that I didn’t even want to play for the national team anymore. I was disgusted.
      “Martinez said he preferred players who are playing regularly at their club.
      He was also not completely satisfied with my training. I don’t think he can portray me as a bad boy who doesn’t work hard. It would be too easy to put up such a picture of me.
      “He can’t use something like that to justify why I don’t get to play.”
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      Lokonga has not been included in Martinez’s squad since the friendlies in March.
      And the midfielder has also admitted he considered departing Arsenal following just one campaign in England.
      “At the end of last season, I almost snapped,” he added when speaking about his first year in the Premier League.
      “I called my agent to ask him if staying at Arsenal was a good idea.
      “He comforted me in my choice, even though I know I need to start more often to develop.”
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      Lokonga has enjoyed more game time so far this season, featuring in six of the Gunners’ 11 Prem matches and starting all three of their Europa League games.
      Arteta’s men sit top of the Premier League table with nine wins from 10 and also boast a 100 per cent record in Europe. More

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      Man Utd boost in Joao Felix chase as Atletico Madrid star’s agent ‘explores options’ for January transfer

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have received a boost in their pursuit of Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix, according to reports.The 22-year-old Portuguese star was linked with a move to Old Trafford in the summer, but a deal never materialised.
      Felix is being linked with a move away from Atletico in JanuaryCredit: Getty
      However, he has started just seven of the Spanish side’s 14 matches in all competitions this season.
      It is causing friction between Felix and his relationship with Atletico and manager Diego Simeone.
      And according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the player’s agent Jorge Mendes is now searching for a route out of the club in 2023.
      But Atletico are keen to stand firm, refusing to accept anything less than his release clause – which is worth £304million.
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      Speaking on his “Here We Go” podcast, he revealed: “The situation is tense between Joao Felix and Atletico Madrid, especially between Joao Felix and Diego Simeone, of course, because he’s not a starter, he’s not playing a lot.
      “The reality is that on Atletico Madrid’s side they insist Joao Felix is not for sale and a key player for Atletico Madrid.
      “They want the release clause in his contract which is 350 million euros (£304m). They have no intention to negotiate.
      “But the reality is that on the player’s side – with agent Jorge Mendes – they are trying and exploring the market to find some potential solutions for 2023.”
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      Felix arrived at Atletico from Benfica in 2019 for a whopping £113m.
      He has not yet lived up to the enormous price tag the Spanish giants paid, contributing 29 goals and 18 assists in 123 appearances.
      And Atletico may be willing to cut their losses, although it is thought a transfer in the summer is more likely than in January.
      It was reported earlier this week that Felix has “lost his patience” with Atletico boss Simeone.
      He has played less than 30 minutes across their last four matches. More

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      Man Utd transfer target Frenkie de Jong slams ‘lies’ about Barcelona wages and explains why salary ‘looks bigger’

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      BARCELONA midfielder Frenkie de Jong has hit back at critics who claim he is refusing a wage cut.The 25-year-old Dutchman agreed a £400,000-a-week salary when he joined the Catalan giants back in 2019.
      De Jong has hit back at those accusing him of refusing a wage reductionCredit: AP
      He then penned a lucrative two-year extension during ex-president Josep Maria Bartomeu’s spell in charge of the club.
      But Barcelona’s crippling financial crisis resulted in De Jong being forced to take a wage reduction in each of his first three seasons.
      It means they are now required to pay those deferred wages to the player on top of his existing salary.
      As a result, De Jong, who was heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in the summer, will earn £16.8million net this season, followed by up to £21m in the following campaign – figures which include £17m worth of deferred payments.
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      And the midfielder has now set the records straight on the controversy surrounding his salary packet.
      Speaking to TV NOS, via Mundo Deportivo, De Jong said: “There have been many lies and falsehoods spread about my salary.
      “In each of the first three years I played here, I cut my salary. Eventually the money comes back, and it comes on top of my normal salary, so it looks bigger.
      “I think a lot of people don’t understand this, but the figures the media are spreading are false.”
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      Barcelona wanted to sell De Jong in the summer to alleviate their economic strain and enable them to register their host of new signings.
      But the former Ajax man made it clear his desire to stay at the Nou Camp, despite strong interest from Man Utd and Chelsea.
      And he recently revealed he felt during the transfer window that the club were trying to force him out the door.
      Last week, De Jong told Ziggo Sport: “I was calm. I decided in May that I wanted to stay. My opinion has never changed during this entire period.
      “I stayed calm. But then you know the pressure would start to come.
      “Yes, from the newspapers, from the president, exactly. From everywhere actually. But I wanted to stay at Barca so it never baffled me.”
      De Jong has started four of Barca’s eight LaLiga matches so far this season – including their 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in El Clasico on Sunday.
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      But it has been reported that he remains “disgusted” by his role in Xavi’s side, with competition rife alongside the likes of Sergio Busquets, Gavi, and Pedri.
      And that discontent in Spain could finally see him depart in the coming months. More

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      Cristiano Ronaldo handed another brutal transfer snub as Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone rules out move

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      ATLETICO MADRID boss Diego Simeone has confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo will not be joining the club next summer.The Spanish giants were linked with an audacious swoop for wantaway Ronaldo during the summer transfer window, but many fans were strictly against the move.
      Ronaldo was linked with a move to Atletico MadridCredit: AFP
      Simeone has dismissed transfer rumoursCredit: Alamy
      One group of Atletico supporters even issued a statement suggesting that the Portugal skipper “represents the antithesis of the values” of the club.
      Although a move failed to materialise in the summer, Los Colchoneros have continued to be linked with Ronaldo, who spent nine years with the club’s rivals Real Madrid before moving to Juventus in 2018.
      Some reports have suggested that Atletico will look to complete a deal next summer.
      However, Simeone has since shut down all rumours, claiming that he has no interest in signing the Manchester United star.
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      The Argentine boss told Spanish football reporter Martin Liberman: “Cristiano Ronaldo’s possible arrival at Atlético in the summer?
      “The little birds told you anything far from what happened.
      “People speak sometimes to tell what they want to tell, not reality.”
      Ronaldo has been pushing for a move away from Old Trafford since July.
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      Numerous clubs expressed an interest in signing him, including Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Napoli, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona and Sporting Lisbon, but the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was not granted an escape route.
      Ronaldo has had to settle for limited minutes so far this season following the resurgence of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial. More

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      Chelsea blow as former Liverpool transfer chief Michael Edwards set to spurn any job offer for some time out

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      LIVERPOOL’S former transfer guru Michael Edwards is ready to take this season away from the game despite being in great demand.Edwards quit the Kop and has been chased by Chelsea and foreign clubs.
      Edwards is set to take some time away from footballCredit: PA
      But the 43-year-old wants time to consider his options after a gruelling 11 years at Anfield.
      He left Merseyside last summer and has been heavily linked with taking up a role at Stamford Bridge.
      But that now seems highly unlikely given his reluctance to take any job for the time being.
      Edwards also worked with Portsmouth and later Tottenham, but made his name in Merseyside as a top talent spotter.
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      He brought the likes of Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, Virgil van Dijk and Allison to Liverpool.
      Meanwhile, Chelsea have undergone a number of changes at board level following the departure of Roman Abramovich and arrival of new owner Todd Boehly.
      Club director Marina Granovskaia and technical and performance advisor Petr Cech both left.
      And American Boehly appointed himself as temporary sporting director.
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      Manager Thomas Tuchel was then sacked early on in the season and replaced by Graham Potter.
      It came just weeks after a record-breaking transfer window in which the Blues spent more than £250million.
      Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella, Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly, Carney Chukwuemeka, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gabriel Slonina and Denis Zakaria were all brought in over the summer. More

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      Man City ‘have no financial boundaries’ to prevent sensational transfer bid to pair Kylian Mbappe with Erling Haaland

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      MANCHESTER CITY reportedly have the cash to sign Kylian Mbappe and partner him with Erling Haaland.French superstar Mbappe is claimed to be considering buying himself out of his Paris Saint-Germain contract in January.
      Kylian Mbappe is desperate to leave PSGCredit: Getty
      Manchester City can reportedly afford to partner Erling Haaland with MbappeCredit: PA
      That would make him a free agent, although signing fees and wages would still make a move for Mbappe a costly one.
      But there are “no financial boundaries” stopping City from tabling a sensational offer, according to Marca.
      The Premier League champions are owned by the cash rich City Football Group, who have turned the club into a force through heavy investment since taking over in 2008.
      And there are not believed to be any financial reasons why they can’t make a move for Mbappe, if he becomes available.
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      Any potential swoop would see the 23-year-old partner current striker sensation Haaland.
      Mbappe is thought to be unhappy at playing on his own as a striker, but any move to the Etihad would see him link up at the top of the pitch with goal machine Haaland.
      The pair are widely regarded as the two future best players on the planet when Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo retire.
      But, unlike Messi and Ronaldo, they could end up playing on the same team.
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      Haaland has scored 20 goals in 13 games for City, and Mbappe’s record of 183 goals in 230 games for PSG suggests he would be just as prolific.
      However, whether City do choose to pursue a deal if Mbappe terminates his contract in Paris remains to be seen.
      Real Madrid were thought to be Mbappe’s most likely landing spot until he signed a new three-year deal in May.
      Then reports in the week claimed Liverpool were the frontrunners for his signature.
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      There is believed to be a split in the PSG camp, with Mbappe left with just four allies in the entire squad.
      He is desperately searching for a way out of the club just months after signing a bumper new deal worth a reported £650,000-a-week. More

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      Newcastle boss Eddie Howe rules out sensational transfer move for wantaway Man Utd ace Cristiano Ronaldo

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      EDDIE HOWE does not want to sign ageing superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo to spark a Newcastle revolution.The minted Magpies are turning away from short-term fixes as they plot a way to the top of the tree.
      Eddie Howe has ruled out a transfer move for Cristiano RonaldoCredit: Getty
      Ronaldo asked to leave United in the summerCredit: Getty
      Howe admitted he is making special plans to stop 37-year-old Ronaldo at Old Trafford on Sunday.
      But he added: “It is not really a signing we would necessarily look to make.
      “We’re trying to provide long-term growth, we have got a longer-term vision.
      “We have quite an ageing squad, so we need to invest in more young players.
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      “That’s a big part of our progression — we need to get the average age down.”
      The Portuguese legend has played all but 30 minutes of Manchester United’s last three games — bagging his 700th club goal in the process.
      Ronaldo also scored twice in last year’s corresponding fixture against Newcastle, a 4-1 win for United, on what then seemed to be his stunning second coming at Old Trafford.
      And Howe added: “It just shows how good his record is, how good his career has been, it puts it in focus again.
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      “The quality is unquestionable and we are going to have to be very, very good against him if he plays.
      “We’re going to have to brief our defenders on the areas from where he wants to score. It’s something we have to be aware of.”
      The Red Devils just squeaked into the top six last season, while Liverpool’s struggles this term might help open up a European spot for Toon.
      It is certainly where the ambitious and upwardly mobile Tynesiders hope to be by May.
      But Howe warned: “Liverpool will come again I’m sure, they’re still obviously an outstanding team.
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      “We’re very early in the season to make snap judgments on what’s going to happen.
      “However, it is very clear that we want to be there, we’re trying everything we can to be the best team we can be. But the competition is also very strong.” More

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      Everton’s contract talks with Anthony Gordon stall with winger asking for around £100k-a-week

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      ANTHONY GORDON’S contract talks at Everton are taking time to finalise.Toffees boss Frank Lampard is keen to reward the young attacker, who was a target for Chelsea in the summer.
      Anthony Gordon’s Everton contract talks are stalling over his mammoth wage demandsCredit: Getty
      But now it is about the money men sorting terms.
      The Gordon camp are looking for wages that reflect the £60million valuation that was on his head at the height of the interest.
      And they will be looking in the £100,000-a-week range for wages.
      Everton are also keen to give Gordon, 21, a pay hike after some fine performances.
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      The player’s current contract has over two years to run but is ticking down.
      Keeper Jordan Pickford is still waiting for a new deal too, although he is already on a big salary.
      And he only has a very limited group of clubs he could move to, with Manchester United linked.
      Meanwhile, Everton are reportedly looking at a deal for Napoli winger Hirving Lozano.
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      The Mexico international is out of contract in 2024.
      And his agent has hinted at a possible move to Goodison Park.
      Alessandro Monfrecola said: “Next June, Lozano will leave in my opinion.
      “Although he is delighted to be here, he has never hidden that he aspired to the top English clubs.
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      “I think he could land in Manchester United or Everton. This does not exclude that other English teams could enter the negotiation.
      “My personal prediction is that he will leave in June, but he is very happy here.” More