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    Ross Barkley joins Nice on free transfer from Chelsea to join Aaron Ramsey and poses in front of mirror in new kit

    FREE AGENT Ross Barkley has been unveiled by French club Nice in a cringeworthy signing video.The 28-year-old agreed to have his Chelsea contract terminated last month.
    Ross Barkley has joined French club Nice on a free transferCredit: https://twitter.com/ogcnice_eng
    Barkley was paraded in front of the Nice fans this eveningCredit: https://twitter.com/ogcnice

    And he has now penned a deal with the Ligue 1 outfit.
    Confirming Barkley as a Nice player this evening, the club posted a video to Twitter of him wearing their home shirt.
    In the bizarre announcement the midfielder can be seen checking himself out in the mirror dressed in his new colours.
    Barkley was then unveiled to the Nice fans ahead of their Ligue 1 clash against Monaco on Sunday.
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    The midfielder joins a strong Premier League contingent in the South of France.
    Arsenal record signing Nicolas Pepe is currently on loan at Nice, as well as Brentford’s Mads Bech Sorensen and Fulham’s Joe Bryan.
    Ex-Gunner Aaaron Ramsey also joined the club over the summer after having his Juventus contract terminated.
    Leicester veteran Kasper Schmeichel signed for them recently too.
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    While former Southampton pair Morgan Schneiderlin and Mario Lemina already played at the Allianz Riviera Stadium before this summer’s Prem influx.
    Barkley originally joined Chelsea for £15million in 2018 after leaving boyhood club Everton.
    But the midfielder underwhelmed following his arrival and failed to ever nail down a regular starting spot at Stamford Bridge.
    He played 100 times in total for the Blues, and was shipped out on loan to Aston Villa for the 2020/21 campaign. More

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    Diego Costa set for sensational Premier League return with Wolves after £15m striker Kalajdzic ruled out with ACL injury

    DIEGO COSTA will reportedly undergo a medical with Wolves this week ahead of a stunning Premier League return.New £15million signing Sasa Kalajdzic is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering an ACL injury on his debut yesterday.
    Diego Costa is in line for a stunning Premier League returnCredit: PA
    Costa won the Premier League twice with ChelseaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    And Wolves have identified Costa as the man to replace him.
    The 33-year-old former Chelsea striker is currently a free agent and can be signed outside of the transfer window.
    He is expected to arrive at the club on Tuesday, according to The Athletic.
    From there he will undergo a medical with the Molineux outfit.
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    The forward most recently played for Atletico Mineiro.
    But Costa has been a free agent since terminating his contract with the Brazilian outfit in January.
    He boasts proven Prem experience, having won the league twice in his three seasons with Chelsea.
    Costa scored 52 goals in 120 games for the Blues in all competitions before he left to join Atletico Madrid in 2018.
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    With Raul Jimenez the only senior striker at the club, boss Bruno Lage moved to sign Kalajdzic from Stuttgart late in the transfer window.
    But he picked up an injury less than 45 minutes into his debut for the club
    The 25-year-old Austrian was replaced at half-time before it was confirmed today he had suffered an ACL injury. More

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    West Ham failed with measly £1m late loan transfer bid for Bayer Leverkusen defender Odilon Kossounou

    WEST HAM made a low bid for Bayer Leverkusen centre half Odilon Kossounou before the transfer window shut.Hammers moved for the Ivory Coast defender who has fallen out of favour a year after a major move to the Bundesliga.
    West Ham failed in a late loan bid for Odilon KossounouCredit: Getty
    However David Moyes’ money men only came up with £1million in a loan fee.
    Leverkusen wanted more from West Ham and would have been more interested in a guaranteed buy at a big price.
    The 21-year-old defender signed for the Bundesliga side for £20m last summer.
    But he has started just one league game this season.
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    Kossounou played 34 times in total last season, and has been capped 15 times by his country.
    Meanwhile, West Ham will try to tie down Harrison Ashby on a deal after blocking moves to Leeds United and Newcastle.
    Ashby was initially being allowed to go after stalling on new terms.
    But that was stopped when Ben Johnson picked up an injury.
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    Leeds fancied Ashby strongly and are expected to return.
    Although the Newcastle interest could die as it was a replacement for Emil Krafth who is out for the season. More

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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