Barcelona are considering a bid to sign Tottenham midfielder Giovani Lo Celso in January, according to reports in Spain.

Barca suffered a major setback during the international break as Gavi suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which rules him out for the rest of the season.

Xavi had made Lo Celso one of his midfield targets in the summer transfer window but Barca were unable to reach an agreement with Spurs due to their financial restrictions.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Argentina international remains on Barca’s shortlist and will be their first-choice target if they opt to sign a replacement for Gavi in the upcoming transfer window.

The report claims that Barca are also hopeful of registering Brazilian forward Vitor Roque after agreeing a €35 million (£30m) deal with Athletico Paranaense in the summer.

Spurs, however, are understood to be keen on keeping Lo Celso until the end of the season.

The 27-year-old is yet to start in the Premier League this season but the injury to James Maddison should see him given more opportunities at Spurs.

Spurs will also lose Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr when the Africa Cup of Nations begins in January.

The Evening Standard reports that Spurs will reject any approach from Barcelona for Lo Celso.

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Sir Jim Ratcliffe plans on copying Chelsea’s transfer blueprint by hiring multiple sporting directors at Old Trafford.

The 71-year-old is on the cusp of completing a £1.3bn investment in the Red Devils, which will see him take a 25% stake alongside the Glazers.

As part of the deal, Ratcliffe will be given control of football operations.

Richard Arnold, the club’s CEO, is set to leave by the end of the year in a move that he claims is not connected to Ratcliffe’s impending arrival.

Nevertheless, it’s clear that Ratcliffe plans on changing personnel at board level and one of his main priorities is modernising United’s recruitment.

Ratcliffe had been expected to appoint a sole sporting director, who would be given significant control over transfers so that Erik ten Hag could focus on managing the first team.

But TalkSPORT say Ratcliffe will copy the model set out by Todd Boehly at Chelsea by hiring multiple directors.

Boehly has overseen £1.4bn of spending since his takeover of the club, and Chelsea are on their fourth manager in less than two years.

But Ratcliffe feels multiple sporting directors could help United reverse their success in the transfer market over recent years.

Paul Mitchell, the former Monaco transfer guru, is under consideration while Paolo Maldini is another name in the frame.

Dougie Freedman, the Crystal Palace director, has impressed Ratcliffe and reportedly has Sir Alex Ferguson’s backing.

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Destiny Udogie is in line to return to the Tottenham starting XI after overcoming a hamstring problem that ruled him out of the latest international fixtures.

The 20-year-old has enjoyed an excellent campaign so far, starting the first nine Premier League games of the season and emerging as a key player for Ange Postecoglou.

However, he has endured a difficult couple of weeks more recently, with a muscle injury coupled with suspension limiting his game time.

Udogie was withdrawn after just 56 minutes against Fulham at the backend of October, having complained of tightness at half-time, and then missed the subsequent trip to face Crystal Palace.

Despite barely training in the build-up he returned to the side against Chelsea, though picked up two yellow cards and was given his marching orders as Spurs were reduced to nine men in a 4-1 defeat.

That dismissal meant he was suspended for Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat to Wolves last time out, though he likely would not have played anyway due to his hamstring problem.

Udogie was initially selected in Italy’s squad for crucial Euro 2024 qualifiers against North Macedonia and Ukraine but was forced to withdraw, with Luciano Spalletti confirming it was due to injury.

But he has now allayed fears over his hamstring issue and says he has fully recovered from the problem ahead of the visit of Aston Villa on Sunday.

Speaking to The Athletic this week, Udogie said he is ‘feeling really good’ and will ‘definitely’ be ready to face Villa.

Udogie also spoke about his relationship with Postecoglou and his adaptation as an inverted left-back, saying: ‘The first day I came in, he called me to speak with him and he told me I’m a key player for him. He explained what he wanted from me, and knowing I had the trust of the head coach was a big motivation.’

He added: ‘At the beginning playing as an inverted full-back was a bit different because I was a wing-back. As a wing-back I’m just on the side, but playing partly in midfield you have to be aware of what’s going on behind you.

‘You have to be ready before you receive the ball. You have to know what is behind you and in front of you and what you’re going to do. So it’s a bit like being a midfielder. At the beginning I was more operating close to the wing. But step by step, I move more inside, feel more secure. It’s going well. I’m enjoying it.’

While Udogie may be back, a number of other players remain sidelined for Spurs with Romero serving the second of his three-match ban and Micky van de Ven and James Maddison both out of action until the new year.

Guglielmo Vicario suffered from ‘flu symptoms’ while on international duty with Italy but is believed to have recovered from his illness, with Eric Dier and Ben Davies expected to continue at centre-back in front of him.

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Blackpool forward Jake Daniels has said it was a slap in the face when Jordan Henderson moved to play in Saudi Arabia.

Daniels last year became the first openly gay active British male professional footballer since Justin Fashanu in 1990.

Former Liverpool captain Henderson had been a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ+ community before his decision to join Saudi club Al-Ettifaq from Liverpool in the summer.

Homosexuality is illegal in the Gulf state, leading some to accuse the England midfielder of turning his back on the community.

Speaking to the BBC’s Newsbeat, Daniels said: ‘He (Henderson) messaged me when I came out. He was backing me and said: ‘We’re proud of what you’ve done.’

‘Seeing him move to Saudi, it kind of like, slaps me in my face really. Obviously it was frustrating. But I guess the money pays well, and money must mean more to people.’

Henderson’s former Liverpool and England team-mate Steven Gerrard is currently his manager in the Saudi Pro League.

Daniels, who made his senior debut for Blackpool in May 2022, said Gerrard had personally reached out out to him following his decision to come out.

He added: ‘I met him in person and he said: ‘If you ever want to get in contact then message me’. But he moved over (to Saudi Arabia). It was frustrating.’

Saudi Arabia is the sole bidder to host the 2034 men’s World Cup, 12 years after Qatar – where homosexuality is also illegal – staged the global tournament.

Daniels said he ‘wouldn’t feel safe’ travelling to such places.

He said: ‘The World Cup that happened in Qatar, the one that is going to happen in Saudi Arabia, for me if I was there I wouldn’t feel safe, so that’s just putting your football in jeopardy.’

Daniels believes his decision to come out 18 months ago has helped his career.
‘It has been crazy since coming out,’ he added.

‘I didn’t think it would blow up as much as it did. The reception I’ve had, the people I’ve met, it’s been a crazy experience.

‘Coming out was the best thing I’ve ever done. I’m playing better now.’

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Former Chelsea and Brighton manager Graham Potter has turned down the chance to manage the Sweden national team with his focus on returning to club management.

Potter, brought into replace Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge in September 2022, was dismissed just seven months into his five-year contract after winning only seven of his 22 Premier League games in charge.

The 48-year-old is still to return to management but was shortlisted for the Sweden job with current coach Janne Andersson leaving the role this week after failing to secure qualification for next summer’s European Championship.

Swedish FA secretary general Andrea Mollerberg revealed last month Potter was one of the names under consideration.

But Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet report he has turned down the chance to be considered for the role.

Potter reportedly indicated that his preference is to return to club football.

Potter rose to prominence managing in Sweden in charge of Ostersunds from 2011 to 2018. After a year at Swansea City, he was brought in by Brighton to replace Chris Hughton.

The former Blues boss has also been linked with Manchester United ahead of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s imminent minority takeover where he and his team are expected to take control of all sporting matters.

Ratcliffe and Sir David Brailsford are thought to be fans of Potter having wanted him at Nice.

Potter was tipped as a possible replacement for Erik ten Hag if the new administration sought to make changes once they have arrived at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag’s position at Old Trafford has come under scrutiny this season having lost nine of their opening games in all competitions this season.

Wins over Fulham and Luton eased the pressure on the Dutchman somewhat heading into the international break with United insisting in early November they are not lining up potential replacements for the manager.

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Glen Johnson has urged Mauricio Pochettino to use Cole Palmer in a central position, not convinced he is ‘strong or quick enough’ to excel in a wide role.

Palmer joined Chelsea from Manchester City on the final day of the summer transfer window and has shone at Stamford Bridge since breaking into the first-team at the start of October.

The England international has registered four goals and two assists in his last five Premier League outings, on target against Tottenham and City starting on the right side of attack in a front three alongside Nicolas Jackson and Raheem Sterling.

With Conor Gallagher in fine form in a central role in front of Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, most of Palmer’s minutes have come from that role on the right.

Former Blues full-back Johnson describes the 21-year-old as ‘the real deal’ and believes he can further shine if he is played further inside.

‘Cole Palmer has been doing great,’ Johnson told Squawka.

‘He’s obviously got a great mentality stepping up for penalties and performing against his old team.

‘He looks calm on the ball, looks like he’s enjoying his football and it’s good to see, I think he’s the real deal.

‘I prefer to see him in the middle, behind the striker. At the moment, I don’t think he’s quick or strong enough to be isolated one on one with defenders and is best receiving it on the half turn and being clever with his passes into strikers.

‘He’s the sort of player strikers love to play with, but I don’t think that he’s the kind of player a full-back hates to play against one on one on.

‘He’s intelligent and can play through the lines in the middle, and that’s where he should be used by Chelsea.’

Chelsea sit in 10th place ahead of the return of the Premier League this weekend.

The Blues head to St James’ Park to take on Newcastle United on Saturday.

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William Saliba was put to the test to identify former Arsenal stars – but mistakenly took former Gunner Philippe Senderos for current Everton boss Sean Dyche.

In the hilarious video with NBC Sports, the France international correctly named Alex Song, Andrey Arshavin, Yaya Sanogo and Gervinho when shown shots of the players during their time in north London.

But when shown a picture of retired centre-half Senderos, Saliba said: ‘It is the coach of Everton?’ referring to current Toffees boss Dyche.

The interviewer replied: ‘No, no, it looks like him! This one is a Swiss defender.’

The hint didn’t do the trick with Saliba none the wiser.

Senderos joined Arsenal in 2003 and spent seven years at the club, making 116 appearances for the side under Arsene Wenger.

His time at Arsenal also included loan stints with AC Milan and Everton, spending four years at Fulham after leaving north London in 2010.

Having also been capped 57 times for Switzerland, Senderos retired from professional football in 2019.

Saliba has emerged as one of the most important players in Mikel Arteta’s side, enjoying a sublime first full season in English football last term as Arsenal challenged Manchester City for the Premier League title.  

After suffering a back injury towards the end of the 2022-23 season – a blow coinciding with Arsenal’s collapse that left City with a free run to the title – he has been ever present in the starting XI this season, starting and completing all 12 league matches.

He has also been a constant presence in Champions League group games, playing the full 90 in all four matches so far.

The 22-year-old will return to the capital after international duty with France, coming off the bench in the 14-0 win over Gibraltar and starting Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Greece.

Arsenal return to league action away to Brentford on Saturday evening.

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Emma Hayes has been an incredible manager for Chelsea, a great servant to the club and brilliant for the Women’s Super League.

So her decision to move on after what will be 12 years and take the job as head coach of the USA national team was big news and a big move for her personally, returning to a country where she has coached previously with Long Island Lady Riders, Iona Gaels and Chicago Red Stars.

Her presence will certainly be felt in the US as much as it will be missed in England after the impact she has made at Chelsea, where she has won six league titles, one Spring Series, five FA Cups and two League Cups. Let’s not forget she was named Fifa Best coach in 2021 too, the same year she was inducted into the WSL Hall of Fame.

But when it came to the big call she had to make recently, news of her departure did not take me by surprise.

Emma must have thought ‘what more can I do?’ but the one she hasn’t won is the Champions League, having reached the 2021 final before losing 4-0 to Barcelona.

What a fairytale ending it would be for her at Chelsea to now sign off with a first European crown.

She has done unbelievably well, winning league titles and trophies aplenty, but the Champions League is missing and that must give her and her players even more motivation to try to win it this season.

There were rumours she would move into the men’s game, but why? Women’s football is not the stepping stone for the likes of Emma and Sarina Wiegman that some believe it to be.

But it didn’t shock me that she’s going to the US. The job seems a good fit for Emma and well suited to her personality and obviously she has coached in America before.

And the US need big change. A lot of the big personalities such as Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd have gone and there is a new group. Emma has shown at Chelsea that she can work and build something.

She says out loud what others are thinking and that’s part of her charm and, I think, what makes her such a good pundit too.

I’ve only ever had one proper conversation with Emma and that was on the way back from the World Cup this summer, as she was on our flight, sitting next to England boss Sarina.

The three of us had a conversation about Chelsea and England forward Lauren James and her tournament and in Lauren’s talent Emma and I found something we agreed on.

Emma is someone who has set the bar, the first manager in women’s football, certainly at club level, to be herself and not shy away from being outspoken. She is always herself and you can’t argue with that.

Emma is not afraid of what anyone thinks of her. So can she win the European Cup before she heads to America?

Chelsea often start the season fairly slowly but still pick up results because that’s what they do. That’s Emma and that’s Chelsea.

However, as the only English team left in the Champions League, they will be doing more travelling than anybody else. On the flipside, I don’t think any of their Women’s Super League rivals have started brilliantly.

Emma and Chelsea are fully capable of becoming European champions but I don’t know if they will. I’m not writing off her fairytale ending, though. But Emma and her Chelsea stars will have to get past my team Barcelona first.

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Manchester United legend Roy Keane is one of the favourites to become the Republic of Ireland’s next manager after Stephen Kenny’s exit was confirmed.

On Wednesday night, the Football Association of Ireland announced that Kenny’s contract would not be renewed following the country’s failure to qualify for Euro 2024.

A statement read: ‘Having reviewed the Euro 2024 qualification campaign in its entirety, and recognising how difficult the Group was, the results needed to realise our goal of qualification for the Tournament were not achieved.

‘The Board agrees that now is the right time for change ahead of the friendly matches in March and June 2024 and the next Nations League campaign starting in September 2024.’

FAI CEO Jonathan Hill added: ‘Over the period of his tenure, Stephen and his staff have worked tirelessly to create the right environment to support the development of our senior men’s team, and we are hugely grateful for that considerable contribution.

‘Stephen has also overseen an important period of transition for our senior men’s national team and has given debuts to a significant number of new and younger players and this will serve as a solid platform for whoever now takes this group of players forward.’

Former Celtic boss and Northern Ireland international Neil Lennon is currently the bookies favourite for the job having been out of work since getting sacked by Cypriot side Omonia just over a year ago.

But Ireland legend Keane is also considered a frontrunner having expressed a desire to return to management one day, albeit under the right circumstances.

The former United and Ireland captain has previously managed Sunderland and Ipswich and served as assistant manager for his country under Martin O’Neill, but has not held a top job since 2011 or been in the dugout at all since 2019.

Others in the running include England U21 boss Lee Carsley, former Birmingham and Hull boss Steve Bruce, one time England manager Sam Allardyce and Greece boss Gus Poyet.

Kenny took charge of Ireland in April 2020 but would win just 11 of his 40 games in charge, failing to get them to Euro 2020 and 2024 as well as the 2022 World Cup.

Though qualification for next summer’s tournament was always going to be tough as they were in a group with France and the Netherlands, performances and results were poor, losing six of eight games with their only wins coming against minnows Gibraltar.

The FAI must pick Kenny’s successor carefully as not only will they have to deal with qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in North America, but more importantly Ireland is set to co-host Euro 2028 with the UK.

Due to the unusual nature of five co-hosts, automatic qualification for the home nations is not guaranteed, meaning Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland could miss out on their own tournament.

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Max Verstappen is among the Formula One drivers who have called for a major change to the sport’s calendar regarding the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

F1’s return to Sin City last weekend was a mixed bag overall, with a fantastic race overshadowed somewhat by organisational issues and lawsuits from fans.

The reception from drivers was mixed to positive with praise for the racing, though the street circuit itself came under criticism, but some including Verstappen were unhappy that the ‘show’ was being prioritised ahead of the sport itself.

But one thing that pretty much every driver agreed on was that the schedule of the weekend was far too gruelling, as not only were they forced to take part in off-track events but the racing itself took place late at night through to the early hours of the morning local time.

Unsurprisingly, this left everyone involved incredibly tired and to make matters worse, they have to travel halfway around the world to go racing again this weekend at the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Some have expressed concern over the 12-hour time difference between the two grand prix venues and called for Las Vegas to be held without a race directly before or after it.

But the 2024 calendar was decided months ago, with Vegas set to kick-off a season ending triple header on 23rd November, followed by Qatar on 1st December and then Abu Dhabi on 8th December.

‘What?! No way!’ was the reaction of AlphaTauri’s Daniel Ricciardo when told about next year’s scheduling.

‘Yeah, that does not have my vote. And now, knowing that, they need to bring it forward, because we will be wrecked, especially end of the season. I’ve done like six races, and I already feel it, so hopefully they can make something work.

‘After Thursday, after that late [FP2] session, I feel like probably all of us have been a little bit delirious and hallucinating, so it felt like a bit of a whirlwind since then.’

Verstappen also called for the calendar to be tweaked, saying: ‘For next year maybe that is not possible but to maybe make it a bit better travelling also to Abu Dhabi.

‘At the moment it’s such a big time shift that, especially at the end of the season when everyone is already a bit tired, I think it’s a little bit much. So, maybe it would be ideal to find a different kind of date because I find that maybe we need to do more of an American tour.

‘Of course, maybe for ticket sales I don’t know if that’s ideal, so maybe we can find a bit of a solution there. I think the 12-hour time zone shifts and also completely different timings for racing, I find that a bit much.’

Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez concurred and suggested that Vegas would be better suited hosting the season finale itself.

He added: ‘I think it was a great first event but like Max says, just to think about that we have to go now to Abu Dhabi, probably the longest distance that we have to travel the whole year.

‘So yeah, probably look at it and make Vegas the final race.’

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Harry Maguire has accepted an apology from the Ghana MP Isaac Adongo for mocking the Manchester United defender.

Last year, Adongo aimed a bizarre swipe at the England international during a speech discrediting his political rival’s economic policies during a parliamentary session.

In an unfavourable comparison to Ghana’s vice-president Mahamudu Bawumia who he accused of scoring political own goals, Adongo said: ‘There is a player like you in the United Kingdom in England called Maguire that is playing for Manchester United.

‘He became the biggest threat at the centre of Manchester United’s defence, tackling his own players and giving assists to opponents.

‘Even when the opponents failed to score, Maguire would score for them.’

Adongo’s comments came while Maguire was enduring a torrid spell at United, having lost his place in the side under Erik ten Hag.

Speaking on Tuesday, Adongo said sorry to Maguire for those comments, describing him as a ‘transformational footballer’.

Maguire has now accepted his apology. Responding to a clip of Adongo’s latest comments, the former United captain wrote on Twitter: ‘MP Issac Adongo apology accepted . See you at Old Trafford soon.’

Maguire was stripped of the United captaincy in the summer and looked to set to leave Old Trafford for West Ham United.

The move was never agreed however with Maguire forcing his way back into the team this season, enjoying a revival in form despite problems elsewhere in the side.

 The former Leicester City star has been preferred to World Cup winner Raphael Varane in recent weeks and is expected to keep his place in the side when the Premier League resumes this weekend.

United are in action away to Everton.

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Ronnie O’Sullivan says it was only the presence of the film crew working on his documentary that got him over the line at the World Championship last year, and he doubts that he will lift the famous trophy again.

The Rocket won the sport’s biggest prize for a seventh time in 2022, beating Judd Trump in the final as he equalled Stephen Hendry’s record of Crucible titles.

He was closely followed by a film crew throughout the campaign, with the excellent documentary ‘Ronnie O’Sullivan: The Edge of Everything’ released this week on Prime Video.

O’Sullivan was extremely focussed and business-like as he progressed through the tournament and he says the presence of the cameras was behind his attitude as he didn’t want to let himself and the viewers down by chucking the towel in at any stage.

‘I knew I had to try and I knew I had to give 100 per cent because I knew I was going to have to watch it back and I didn’t want to defraud the public,’ said O’Sullivan.

‘Normally if I don’t feel like playing in a tournament and I don’t feel like it’s my week this week, I’ve earned the right to do that [not give 100 per cent].

‘But when you’re putting it on screen and you are asking people to take time out to watch this, and I’m going to have to watch it back, I wanted for it to be genuine and me to put my heart and soul into every ball and every pot for the whole year. It wasn’t just the World Championships, it was the whole year! My heart and soul into it.

‘It made me win that Championships, I don’t think I would have won it without having that sort of pressure on me to perform.

‘I don’t think I’d have got past the semis. I think [John] Higgins would have done me because that’s a tough game for me. I could have lost that match but I dug deep in that match.’

O’Sullivan’s defence of his title ended at the quarter-final stage this year when he was beaten by eventual champion Luca Brecel, but he will remain one of the favourites for more Crucible success next year when he is 48 years old.

Given how much the stress of the World Championship takes out of the Rocket, he doubts whether he will reach the summit again, but admits that he felt like that over a decade ago when he had won just three world titles.

On his chances of an eighth title, he said: ‘Probably not, to be honest with you. I’m sure I’ll pitch up and play again, whether I’ve got another one in me I don’t know.

‘I don’t think I have, to be honest with you, if I’m being brutally honest with you. I don’t think I’ve got another one in me. But I thought that in 2011 and I’ve won a few since then so it’s strange how things can turn out differently.’

The pressures and strains of a Crucible campaign are made very clear in The Edge of Everything, when O’Sullivan is really struggling mentally during the final against Judd Trump, questioning whether he can even return to the arena at times.

The iconic cueist says he was suffering stage fright during the match, which has only happened to him once before, during his first World Championship win over John Higgins in 2001.

‘I had a bad afternoon session on the Monday where I got stage fright and I’ve only ever had that twice at the Crucible,’ he explained. ‘The first time was the final session of the final against John Higgins and I thought, “what am I going through here?” I’d never had it in my life.

‘Then the only other time I had it was against Judd in the afternoon. I put it down to the first one being a really difficult one to win, because you’ve never won it before and want to get that monkey off your back. Then obviously the five in between that I was in my prime years, you go through it but you always seem to have the upper hand and I always felt in control of most of the matches.

‘Then this one I thought it might be my last one, so to have such a big lead and everyone around me thinking it’s in the bag…I knew it wasn’t in the bag, I know at the Crucible matches can turnaround.’

O’Sullivan explained that dressing room meltdowns are actually quite common at the Crucible, but only against Higgins and Trump has he felt he could not play properly because of the pressure.

The documentary shows Dr Steve Peters helping O’Sullivan through the tough moments, and the Rocket said it was not the first time that he has told the psychiatrist that he just can’t keep playing.

‘I’d done that before in 2012 when I was playing great in the final against Ali Carter,’ he explained. ‘I played great all tournament, but I was speaking to him [Peters] before the game, he went out the room and about 10 minutes later I was like, “Shit! I can’t go out there and play!”

‘It’s just the Crucible can do that to you sometimes, it really, really can.

‘So two times I’ve had stage fright when I’ve been out there playing. But normally I get it before the game, during the dressing room period, I’m on edge. But when I go out there and play it doesn’t affect my play, there’s only been two times where it has actually affected my ability to play snooker. It’s quite scary, you know.’

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Chelsea have reportedly joined the likes of Manchester City and Newcastle in the race to sign Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Real Madrid and Barcelona are also said to be keeping tabs on the winger who enjoyed a fantastic maiden season in Naples in 2022/23.

Kvaratskhelia scored 14 goals and made 17 assists in 43 appearances across all competitions, as Napoli stormed to the Serie A title.

His efforts saw him named Serie A Most Valuable Player and Champions League Young Player of the Season, and he also finished 17th in the Ballon d’Or, ahead of the likes of Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane.

It is no wonder then that interest in the 22-year-old, who has eight goal contributions in 15 games so far this season, is so high.

ESPN report that Chelsea are tracking the Georgia international but will face competition from the four aforementioned sides.

Given how Todd Boehly’s transfer strategy has centred around recruiting highly-rated young talents, this should not come as a shock though the Blues are not expected to make a move for Kvaratskhelia just yet.

For starters, Mauricio Pochettino’s more pressing priority is to sign a centre-forward, with the likes of Brentford’s Ivan Toney and Kvaratskhelia’s Napoli teammate Victor Osimhen on his radar.

Chelsea’s squad already contains plenty of wingers and attacking midfielders like Raheem Sterling, Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke and Cole Palmer.

Moreover, with a net spend of over £692million since Boehly bought the club, the Blues may have to hold off on big money signings in order to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.

And Kvaratskhelia will certainly be a big money signing with Napoli valuing him at over €100m (£87m) and it is said that talks over extending his contract beyond its current 2027 expiry are going well.

Moreover, Chelsea may not even have it in their budget to sign him should they fail to qualify for the Champions League this season.

Pochettino’s side are currently 10th in the table, 10 points off the top four, and face a tricky trip to Newcastle on Saturday.

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David Beckham and Ronnie O’Sullivan working together on a new documentary may have seemed like a surprise for some, but the two sporting icons go a long way back.

Beckham’s Studio 99 produced the new film about the Rocket, Ronnie O’Sullivan: The Edge of Everything, which premiered on Tuesday night.

The Manchester United and England legend revealed at the premiere that he has long been a snooker fan and has known O’Sullivan for years, even saying that a night with the Rocket was one of his favourites during his time with the Red Devils.

Asked what his motivation for getting behind the new film was, Beckham said: ‘Simple answer is Ronnie.

‘Firstly, it’s a huge privilege to have been part of this. I was always a fan of Ronnie. I grew up in the East End of London and when I wasn’t playing football, I was playing snooker. I used to go up to the snooker hall in Chingford every other day when I wasn’t playing football. Then when my dad was playing football on the weekends, I’d end up playing snooker in the bar. That was something I grew up on.

‘I was able to spend a little time with Ronnie over the years. One of my favourite nights as a Manchester United player, we’d played in London and I think we went out for a couple of beers and I ended up back at Ronnie’s house. His mum was making a cup of tea for us and we had a few frames.

‘That was one of my favourite nights as a Manchester United player because I got to spend a few hours with Ronnie and get to know him.

‘To be able to make this film is very special because it’s not just about him as a snooker player. It’s about him and his life. He is a special person but to watch him play is just beautiful.’

O’Sullivan, 47, also told the tale of when he first met Beckham, 48, remembering the intense nature of the footballer’s fame when he burst into the public’s consciousness in 1996.

‘I stayed at David’s house a few nights in Manchester before he got super famous,’ said O’Sullivan. ‘I’ve met David a few times. Obviously he went his way and I went mine. He’s done really, really well.

‘We met each other in Charlie Chans and we were just chatting away. This was before he scored that goal [against Wimbledon], then he scored the goal and he went, “come up to Manchester.”

‘So I went up there and stayed with him for two or three days and the fame was off the scale. Him and Giggsy, it was scary. They were like the Beatles, I’ve never seen anything like it in my life and I’m not really cut out for that sort of thing, I run for the exit at things like that.

‘I spent a couple of days and then I was out of there. It was on another level. But it’s great that he’s backed the film.’

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Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus admits ‘goals are not my strong point’ after failing to score during international duty with Brazil once again.

Jesus was unable to find the net in Brazil’s 1-0 defeat to Argentina on Tuesday evening, which extends his record to nine games without a goal for his national side.

The 26-year-old has fared better at club level, scoring 11 goals in 26 Premier League appearances for Arsenal last season following his £45 million move from Manchester City.

But despite his poor record for Brazil, which currently stands at one goal in 29 appearances since October 2019, Jesus insists his barren run will end at some stage.

‘There are things that bothered me a lot in the post 2018 World Cup cycle. I was younger, I had a different mentality,’ Jesus told reporters in Brazil.

‘Today I am a more mature man, more educated, a family man. I understand football is a priority for me, and I know I need to be well to do my best, especially for Brazil.

‘There are things that I can’t control. I train, I look for, I try, I move, I help the team. I believe that goals are not my strong point, but I score goals, I’m there to score goals. I did so much in the national team.

‘When I score goals again, it’s going to happen. It’s work. I work quietly, I’m not one to respond to criticism, I’m not one to be happy with praise. I was, I won’t be anymore.’

When asked to explain Brazil’s defeat to Argentina, Jesus said: ‘I believe we played well, better than them.

‘They had a chance at the dead ball. We could have defended better, unfortunately it happened.

‘We don’t want to lose games. But we have to keep our heads in place.’

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Manchester United ace Lisandro Martinez has returned to Carrington to work on his recovery from a foot injury.

The Argentine missed the end of last season with a metatarsal injury but he returned in pre-season.

However, Martinez struggled for form at the start of this campaign and felt inhibited by the injury.

The defender sought advice from a specialist, who recommended him to undergo the surgery for a second time to clear up his issues.

Martinez underwent the surgery around six weeks ago, and has spent part of his recovery in his homeland of Argentina.

However, the Argentine was back at Carrington on Wednesday to continue his rehabilitation on an individual basis.

Martinez remains some way off a return, with United expecting him back to full fitness after Christmas.

But his return to Carrington will be a boost for Erik ten Hag, who was able to welcome Luke Shaw back into the fold in full training on Wednesday.

The defender has missed the last two months of action, but could now form part of Sunday’s squad to face Everton.

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William Saliba ‘can be one of the best defenders in the world,’ but must be patient to break into the France team on a regular basis.

The Arsenal defender has been an integral figure for the Gunners since the start of last season and has been called up to the France squad regularly by Didier Deschamps as a result.

However, there is a lot of competition at centre-back at international level for Saliba and he has not yet nailed down a spot in the starting XI.

Former Arsenal, Chelsea and France defender Gallas expects Saliba to get there, in fact he thinks he can be one of the best on the planet, but he must stay patient and then pounce on his opportunity for his country when it arises.

‘Didier Deschamps said he wanted more from William Saliba. He said that the competition to get into his team is higher than it is at Arsenal, which is true. I don’t think that Deschamps was questioning Saliba’s quality; he knows how good he is as a player,’ Gallas told Genting Casino.

‘William Saliba can be one of the best defenders in the world. The problem he has in the France team is that other players have played under Deschamps for longer. Players like Ibrahima Konate and Dayot Upamecano, they were there before him, so William Saliba needs to be patient and when he gets an opportunity to start for France, he has to take it.

‘Sometimes players that are given the opportunity by Deschamps in the starting eleven don’t grab it. I think that is why Saliba is behind the players that I mentioned.

‘He needs to show everyone how good he is in a French shirt. When he does that, the conversation about him (playing for France) is finished. The debate about who will play for France will disappear because Saliba can establish himself as France’s best defender. He can be the first-choice centre back of Didier Deschamps.

‘He reminds me of myself. I was waiting for an opportunity to play for France after playing in the Champions League for a few seasons. I was playing next to Marcel Desailly, my club team mate, against Slovenia for my first cap. I said to myself “you have to take this opportunity”.

‘I knew that I could establish myself in that team for years if I played well and that’s what I did. I had a good game against Slovenia and went on to receive 84 caps for France. I think I was a substitute once or twice in that period. Saliba can do the same thing if he takes his opportunity. He just needs to be patient.’

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Ghanaian MP Isaac Adongo has issued an apology to Harry Maguire after he unfavourably compared the Manchester United defender to the African nation’s vice-president Mahamudu Bawumia.

Speaking last December, Adongo mocked Maguire in Ghanaian parliament during an attack on his political rival.

Adongo said during a budget address to Bawumia: ‘There is a player like you in the United Kingdom in England called Maguire that is playing for Manchester United.

‘He became the biggest threat at the centre of Manchester United’s defence, tackling his own players and giving assists to opponents.

‘Even when the opponents failed to score, Maguire would score for them.’

Adongo added that Bawumia ‘is now tackling all the fundamentals of our economy and destroying all of them’.

But speaking on the floor of parliament on Tuesday, Adongo issued an apology to Maguire and described the former Manchester Unite captain as a ‘transformational footballer’.

‘If you remember last year I was very quick to compare Mahamudu Bawumia to Harry Maguire,’ Adongo said.

‘Mr Speaker I now apologise Harry Maguire.

‘Mr Chairman, you got very angry when I used your defender as an example. Today Maguire has turned the corner, he’s a transformational footballer. Harry Maguire is now scoring goals for Manchester United.

‘Mr Speaker Harry Maguire is now a key player for Manchester United, as for our Maguire, he is now roaming at the high heavens with a cup in hand.

‘As for our Maguire [Bawumia], the economic Maguire, he was able to get pensioners to leave their homes and come and parade in the streets.’

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Former Newcastle manager Steve Bruce has claimed that Sean Longstaff was ‘never close’ to signing for Manchester United.

In the summer of 2019, Longstaff was heavily linked with switching St. James’ Park for Old Trafford as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer began his Red Devils rebuild.

The midfielder was up for the move, but Newcastle’s asking price of £50million put off United and though they were still interested when the the transfer window re-opened the following January, the transfer never materialised.

At the time, a move from relegation battlers Newcastle to Champions League bound United would have been very desirable but fast-forward four years and Longstaff is surely very happy that it didn’t happen.

Backed by their new owners, the Magpies are playing in the UCL and Longstaff is a key player in Eddie Howe’s side.

Back in April, the 26-year-old slammed Howe’s predecessor Bruce, admitting he didn’t enjoy playing under him and he felt as if the United legend wasn’t coaching him properly.

Bruce has now responded to these comments and says he holds no ill will towards the midfielder, but also revealed that the player was very much determined to join United – though the transfer was actually ‘never on the cards’.

‘I inherited Sean at a time where a big money move to Manchester United was on the cards. Newcastle were turning down a colossal amount of money, and that was swirling around at the time,’ Bruce told Gambling Zone.

‘Sean was recovering from an awful injury at the time. He’s entitled to his opinion, and he’s shown maturity over the last couple of years. 

‘We had him almost five years ago. He was a lot younger then, a lot of things were swirling around, and that was combined with a long-term injury.

‘I’ve been nothing but impressed with how he’s got on, and you have to accept that criticism of a part of management. Not everybody is going to like you, and I never expected him to.

‘It’s never given as a manager. There were times where Sean needed to mature, and he has done. He’s proven to be a very good player.

‘Sean Longstaff’s move to Man United was never close. He was insistent that it was at one point, but I knew Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Mike Phelan – it was never on the cards.’

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Mikel Arteta will have to make a significant change to his Arsenal starting XI this weekend with Aaron Ramsdale set to make his Premier League return.

The England international hasn’t played a top flight game since the Gunners’ win against Manchester United on September 3.

Ramsdale’s only opportunities since that 3-1 victory have come in the Carabao Cup with summer signing Raya afforded a run of games to cement his status as the club’s new No.1.

The 28-year-old has made a less than convincing start to his Arsenal career but has received the consistent backing of his new manager.

Raya will, however, be forced to stand aside this weekend given he only joined Arsenal from Brentford on loan with his current club retaining a £27million option to buy next summer.

The decision to put off paying a significant fee in August helped Arsenal avoid breaking Financial Fair Play rule but does mean Raya will be ineligible to play against his parent club on Saturday.

Arsenal legend and former England No.1 David Seaman, meanwhile, is hopeful that Ramsdale will grab his opportunity and reassert his position in Arteta’s pecking order.

‘Going into next summer, where Aaron is really pushing to become England goalkeeper – he needs to be playing,’ said Seaman.

‘If Aaron goes in at the weekend, then he’s left out for the next game, then we know who Mikel’s number one is,” added Seaman, who won three league titles in 13 years at the Gunners.

‘It’s not good for Aaron. He’s a top-class goalkeeper, there’s no doubt about that. I think January will be a bit too soon [for a move away],” he said.

‘It’s the game after this weekend, that’s where we will find a lot of answers. From what Mikel was saying when he brought Raya in, when he talked about rotating goalkeepers in games, which I still found a bit bizarre, we’ll have to wait and see after this game.

‘Aaron’s too good to be a number two, that is for sure.’

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Sport in the United States continues to find new ways of making billions of dollars through commercial opportunities and after the traditional three games on Thanksgiving the NFL will stage its first Black Friday affair when the Miami Dolphins travel up the Eastern Seaboard to tackle the floundering New York Jets.

America’s biggest sport usually bookends its weekend fixtures with Thursday and Monday Night Football either side of wall-to-wall games on Sundays while the play-offs leading to the Super Bowl, which is being held in Las Vegas in February, are carefully planned so armchair viewers don’t miss a pass or a run from the line of scrimmage.

Next month there will be Monday Night action on Christmas Day when the NBA’s biggest teams tip-off from lunchtime through to late at night.

If there was a way to make heaps of cash from National Take Your Dog to Work Day, American sport would jump all over the chance.

This Friday, as the turkey leftovers are devoured, the United States will be fixated as the Jets’ season continues to nosedive. They captured elite quarterback Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers in the summer but the 39-year-old lasted just minutes on opening day before tearing an Achilles.

He was replaced by Zach Wilson, the passer he was brought in to replace and the former No.2 Draft pick continued his downward spiral by leading his awful offense to just six touchdown in ten outings.

On Monday, woeful Wilson was benched for Tim Boyle – a nondescript quarterback who threw more interceptions than touchdowns at college, and the 7-3 AFC East leading Dolphins will be rubbing their flippers at the chance to enhance their run to the postseason with a comfortable victory.

The Jets crashed to a third straight defeat on Sunday when they were trounced 32-6 by the Buffalo Bills, who had been struggling to score points, and their record plunged to four wins and six losses.

Miami have a high-powered offense which trounced the Denver Broncos 70-20 earlier this season. Yes, 70-20.

The Jets defense is actually pretty good but Miami look a lock to win really big and victory by more than three touchdowns – 21 points – is 41/10 with bet365. It really will be a Black Friday for the green half of New York.

• Detroit Lions to beat Green Bay by more than a touchdown, Dallas Cowboys to blowout the Washington Commanders by over 11.5 points and the San Francisco 49ers -5.5  points to win at the Seattle Seahawks forms our Thanksgiving Day treble.

• Trainer Paul Nichols can the Betfair Chase at Haydock for a record seventh time with Bravemansgame on Saturday. His stable star is 5/4 with Betway.

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Sir Alex Ferguson says he’s ‘optimistic’ about Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s impending investment in Manchester United.

The British billionaire is on the brink of completing a £1.3bn investment in the Red Devils, which will see him take a 25% stake in the club.

Though Ratcliffe will hold a minority stake, he’s expected to be handed control of ‘football operations’ at Old Trafford.

Ratcliffe, the second richest man in Britain, will also invest £245m of his own money on improving the infrastructure of United’s stadium and training ground.

Ferguson, who is a director at United, was at the helm when the Glazers completed a takeover in 2005 and he drew criticism from some quarters for defending the Americans.

Success at the club has dried up since Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, and United have fallen behind rivals Liverpool and Manchester City.

But Ferguson is confident that Ratcliffe’s investment in the club will positively affect the Red Devils’ future.

‘I am still a director of the club and I know Jim [Ratcliffe] well,’ said Ferguson, in an interview with Gambling Zone.

‘We shall have to see what he does but I am optimistic.’

Ratcliffe had been hopeful that his investment would be announced this week, but that could now be delayed until the end of this month.

After that, it will take between four to eight weeks for the Premier League to ratify the deal.

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Gary Neville says he would rather have Jurgen Klopp than Pep Guardiola in charge of Manchester United as the legendary managers prepare to face-off.

First and second in the Premier League will do battle on Saturday asGuardiola’s Manchester City host Klopp’s Liverpool at the Etihad.

The pair have long been considered two of the best managers of this generation, with their sides dominating English football over the last six years.

Since they joined their respective clubs, they have won a combined six Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues, three FA Cups and five League Cups.

Both clubs are of course the biggest rivals of United, but not even the most loyal of Red Devils supporters could dismiss the success and genius of both Klopp and Guardiola.

Neville certainly couldn’t and the United legend has now named which manager he would pick to take the reins at Old Trafford.

Asked who he thought was the best manager in the world right now, Neville told the Daily Ketchup Podcast: ‘I’d say Jurgen Klopp.

‘Jurgen Klopp works with a budget that is far less than Pep Guardiola’s. Pep Guardiola is a genius and he’ll be one of the ones that’ll be remembered forever more.

‘But Jurgen Klopp for me is an amazing manager. If you said to me which manager would you bring into Manchester United tomorrow, it’d be Jurgen Klopp. But [Liverpool] might never let him leave!’

Understandably, Neville did not opt to name United’s current boss Erik ten Hag as the best in the world with his side enduring a difficult start to the season that has left them seven points off City in the table and bottom of their Champions League group.

The Red Devils will be hoping to close the gap to their rivals when they travel to Everton on Sunday.

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Dimitar Berbatov has called on Mason Mount, Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial to step up to the plate and help Manchester United find form amid their ongoing injury problems.

It has been a rocky road for the Red Devils so far this season and fitness issues have not helped, with a number of players still sidelined.

Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Christian Eriksen, Rasmus Hojlund and Jonny Evans are all out, although there is good news on Luke Shaw who is back in training.

Erik ten Hag’s side have struggled for any sort of rhythm so far this campaign, with the fit players not finding top form and Berbatov has called on certain individuals to start producing.

‘Let’s talk about Mason Mount,’ Berbatov told Betfair. ‘We all know he needs to step up because he hasn’t played well since joining United. So, he’s the player I want to see give more and produce more, because in some of the games, it looks like he doesn’t know how to fit into that system. He looks a bit lost from time to time, but we all know the quality he possesses.

‘He was bought for big money which brings big expectations, but not only that, his stress levels will be high.

‘At this moment, he knows he needs to produce, he knows he needs to step up and show the quality that we all know he has. It’s not working out, so now is the opportunity to stay concentrated and just be in the game and start to show the quality you showed at Chelsea. United need that quality to help the team.’

‌Varane has been a surprise disappointment for United this season, finding himself below Jonny Evans in the pecking order, while Martial has continued to underwhelm.

Berbatov hopes both can find the motivation and desire to prove their doubters wrong, starting with the trip to Everton on Sunday.

‘With Hojlund out, who is going to take that place up front?’ Berbatov asked. ‘Rashford? We know he doesn’t like it there. Martial? I don’t think he likes it there either. Garnacho? He plays on the wing. So now there is a dilemma – who is going to play as the centre-forward?

‘McTominay is using the opportunities given to him to be the hero when the team needs him – he’s giving everything for the team.‌

‘I really hope Martial has a future at Man United. I’m a bit biased because I used to play with him, and I saw the quality he has. Everyone knows that he’s not working the way he should be. He’s not using his quality properly and he’s struggling because of this. He needs to be shaken up a little bit and there are moments where he needs to push hard and change his game.

‘I saw in the last couple of games, he did that, he pressed, he was angry in his body language and going hard towards the opposition. He needs to do something extra.

‌’When you’ve been at a club for a long time, you get complacent. From time to time, you need to challenge yourself and the people around you need to wake you up and say, “look, you have so many qualities that you’re not using correctly. Wake up, do more and bring it to the team”.

‘Varane will get time to play with Jonny Evans injured. I can understand Varane’s anger when Evans was picked ahead of him because when you’re Varane, you’ve won everything, you are younger than Evans, you came to United to play and now all of a sudden, a 35-year-old player is taking your place.

‌’Now is his chance to show that he deserves to play. Not that he needs to prove anything because he’s won so much, but just to fit back into the team.’

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Luis Suarez has labelled Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez as one of the best striker’s in the world after Uruguay’s 3-0 win against Bolivia on Tuesday.

Nunez scored twice in the victory which has put Uruguay second in the South American World Cup qualifying group behind Argentina.

Nunez also found the net in Uruguay’s 2-0 win against Argentina last Friday, while Suarez replaced the Liverpool striker as a second-half substitute in both games.

Suarez, who turns 37 in January, insists he is ‘happy ‘very happy’ with his reduced role for Uruguay, claiming that he is back-up to ‘one of the best No.9s in the world’ in Nunez.

‘I am in a role that leaves me very happy, trying to help with whatever I have to,’ said Suarez.

‘I have one of the best No.9s in the world in front of me today, which is Darwin.

‘The group needs him as he is performing and the only thing I have to do is contribute in what I have to and applaud him for what he is doing.’

When told about Suarez’s claim that he is one of the world’s best strikers, Nunez said: ‘Hearing that he praises me makes me very happy.

‘The best striker, for me, is him, you have to enjoy him in the moments he is with us.

‘He’s one of the best No.9s in the history of Uruguay and you have to enjoy him.’

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Dimitar Berbatov has warned Manchester United against making a move for Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann in January.

Erik ten Hag is keen to add more firepower to a forward line that has struggled for goals so far this season, despite the £72million arrival of Rasmus Hojlund.

The Denmark international has scored five times already in Europe this term, but is still waiting to break his Premier League duck following a series of wayward performances.

Ten Hag is likely to be working with a limited budget in January, despite the impending arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the promise of a significant cash injection from the British billionaire who is set to acquire a 25 per cent stake in theclub.

Griezmann came close to joining United earlier in his career when Jose Mourinhowas the helm but reports earlier this week claimed talks have already started over a sensational move when the transfer window reopens.

Former United No.9 Berbatov, however, fears any such signing would create a ‘mess’ and have a negative impact on Hojlund’s development.

He told Betfair: ‘If United choose to go and buy someone in the January transfer market, I’m curious to see who that’s going to be.

‘Antoine Griezmann has been linked in January, but if he comes, then what happens if Hojlund and Griezmann are fit? Griezmann needs to play because he’s Griezmann, so is Hojlund not playing then?

‘If Hojlund doesn’t play, then it’s like, why did you buy him? It would become a mess. I don’t think that transfer will happen.’

Berbatov, meanwhile, hopes Anthony Martial can seize the latest opportunity he is likely to be granted in the potential absence of of Hojlund against Everton on Sunday due to injury.

‘With Hojlund out, who is going to take that place up front?’ Berbatov added. ‘Rashford? We know he doesn’t like it there. Martial? I don’t think he likes it there either. Garnacho? He plays on the wing. So now there is a dilemma – who is going to play as the centre-forward?

‘I really hope Martial has a future at Man United. I’m a bit biased because I used to play with him, and I saw the quality he has. Everyone knows that he’s not working the way he should be. He’s not using his quality properly and he’s struggling because of this. He needs to be shaken up a little bit and there are moments where he needs to push hard and change his game.

‘I saw in the last couple of games, he did that, he pressed, he was angry in his body language and going hard towards the opposition. He needs to do something extra.

‘When you’ve been at a club for a long time, you get complacent. From time to time, you need to challenge yourself and the people around you need to wake you up and say, ‘look, you have so many qualities that you’re not using correctly. Wake up, do more and bring it to the team’.’

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Manchester United star Luke Shaw has resumed full training following a muscle injury that has sidelined him for the last three months.

The left-back has played just twice this term and he sustained an injury in late August that has kept him out.

Shaw’s injury forced United to move for Sergio Reguilon on loan, while Tyrell Malacia and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have also had extended periods on the sidelines.

United have sorely missed Shaw during an indifferent start to the campaign.

Erik ten Hag’s side travel to Goodison Park on Sunday to take on Everton, in what is the Toffees’ first match since they were deducted ten points by the Premier League.

And Shaw was in training today with the main group as he looks to make his return to selection.

While Sunday may come too soon for Shaw to start, the left-back could form part of the squad that travels to Merseyside.

United have a number of injury concerns ahead of the weekend.

Rasmus Hojlund and Christian Eriksen are both expected to miss out after sustaining injuries in the win against Luton before the international break.

Andre Onana is another doubt, after he injured his back during a friendly for Cameroon last week.

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Ronnie O’Sullivan intends to keep playing snooker for some years to come, but warns the powers that be that he has ‘no option’ but to quit if he can’t spend most of his playing time in China.

The sport has returned to China this season for the first time since the pandemic wiped Asian events off the calendar and the passion for snooker is clearly undimmed in the Far East.

Three ranking events and the non-ranking Shanghai Masters are back on the calendar, while players have been given a string of other opportunities to play in exhibitions and tournaments affiliated with the Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association (CBSA).

With these opportunities there has come clashes, with World Snooker Tour unhappy that players are playing exhibitions while professional events are taking place and threatening serious repercussions if any do choose to play elsewhere instead of in a main tour commpetition.

While O’Sullivan wasn’t involved in the specific situation, the quintet of Mark Selby, John Higgins, Luca Brecel, Ali Carter and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh became ‘The Macau Five’ as they hoped to play an exhibition in Macau during the Northern Ireland Open but were threatened with punishment if they did so.

The exhibition was eventually moved, but the players had already pulled out of the Belfast tournament so they missed out on playing in anything that week.

O’Sullivan, who pulled out of the Champion of Champions last week after a hectic schedule saw him playing in Tianjin, China just days before, says that if he is not able to compete when he wants in China then he is likely to give up the game all together.

‘I have no option now. If I can’t go out and do what I need to do – which is play a lot in China – then I won’t ever play again,’ O’Sullivan told the BBC. ‘We are at a sort of crossroads now.

‘There’s not enough here for me in the UK to justify the effort that I put in. When I go to China I play in great venues, great crowds, great prize money. And I love it.

‘If that gets to the point where I’m not able to do that then I probably won’t play. I’ll probably go and play Chinese 8 ball because I still want to play snooker. I still want a cue in my hand.’

The return of the Chinese events has been a huge boost for snooker in terms of global appeal, prize money and players having earning opportunities.

However, players are already complaining about the packed schedule which includes jetting from the UK to China and back regularly, while some feel restricted by their players’ contract which restricts when they can play exhibitions.

The glamorous, big-budget Chinese events can also shine some of the more modest UK tournaments in a poor light, although the three biggest events remain in Britain; the World Championship, Masters and UK Championship.

The Rocket says he and the other top players are not looked after enough in the current climate, saying: ‘I don’t get appreciated on the snooker circuit. None of the top players do in my opinion.

‘I’d love to be able to keep playing snooker for the next five, six, seven, eight years. But if I’m going to be forced into a situation where that isn’t possible then I’m not going to accept what the other 130 players do, which is play tournament after tournament.’

O’Sullivan’s aim does remain to continue playing and that is by far the most likely scenario for some years to come.

Asked at the premiere of his documentary The Edge of Everything on Tuesday how long he has left in the sport, he said: ‘I’ve got another five years. I could do 10 if I wanted, but I think five would just be enough.’

Ronnie O’Sullivan: Amol Rajan Interviews is on BBC Two at 7pm tonight (Wednesday) and will be available BBC iPlayer.

MORE : ‘It’s what we need’ – Neil Robertson fascinated to see Ronnie O’Sullivan documentary

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Incoming Manchester United investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe has drawn up a five-man shortlist as he prepares to appoint a new sporting director at Old Trafford.

Ratcliffe’s £1.3bn investment in the club is expected to be announced this month.

The British billionaire is expected to take control of ‘football operations’ at Old Trafford, though the Glazers will retain full control of the club itself.

Ratcliffe will pump in £245m of his own money to improve United’s infrastructure but his priority is resolving long-term issues with United’s recruitment.

The club have squandered almost £1.3bn since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013 and they haven’t won a league title since the Scot’s departure.

Richard Arnold, the club’s CEO, will step down before the end of the year as Ratcliffe prepares to appoint a new head of the club.

But, perhaps of greater importance, is a sporting director.

John Murtough, the club’s head of football, is expected to depart as Ratcliffe appoints a specialist to oversee transfers and the 71-year-old is currently looking at five options for the role.

Paolo Maldini, the AC Milan legend, is one option while Crystal Palace’s Dougie Freedman is a leading contender.

Atletico Madrid’s Andrea Berta, who has overseen the club’s transfer policy for five years, is under consideration while Ricky Massara is on the shortlist.

Atalanta’s Lee Congerton is a notable inclusion, as the transfer specialist brought Ramus Hojlund to the club before his £72m move to Manchester United last summer.

Despite reports, Paul Mitchell – the former Tottenham and Southampton director – is not thought to be in the running.

MORE : Erik ten Hag failed with move to sign Thomas Muller for Manchester United

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Erik ten Hag failed with an attempt to sign Thomas Muller for Manchester United, according to reports in Germany.

Muller, who turned 34 in September, has spent his entire career at Bayern, helping the club win 32 trophies.

Muller’s current contract with Bayern is due to extend at the end of the season and the forward has already indicated that he has no plans to retire.

According to SportBild, Bayern are planning initial talks with Muller over a new deal but an agreement is not guaranteed.

The report claims that staying at Bayern would be Muller’s preference but the Germany international is expected to receive lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia and Major League Soccer.

However, Manchester United could also reignite their interest after failing in their move for Muller a year ago.

SportBild claim that Ten Hag wanted to sign Muller in the last January transfer window due to his vast experience, but the forward turned down a move to Old Trafford.

Speaking this week, Muller confirmed that he will continue his playing career until at least 2025.

‘I definitely want to play for another year beyond 2024,’ Muller told SportBild.

‘At least that’s my plan. I’m still enjoying being on the pitch, I hope that’s showing.’

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