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Transfer news LIVE: Man Utd vs Real Madrid scrap, £200m Chelsea plan, Liverpool prediction
TRANSFER NEWS LIVE: Man Utd, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Barcelona and Tottenham latest updates from Express Sport.
Pochettino would be a 'great fit' at Real Madrid says pundit
Transfer news LIVE: Saturday February 23
- Man Utd and Real Madrid might be in for a mega-money scrap over Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino
- Chelsea are ready to hand Zinedine Zidane £200m despite being handed a two window transfer ban
- Liverpool are being talked up as the ideal destination for one of the Championship’s hottest prospects
- Arsenal have been warned by former boss Arsene Wenger that replacing Mesut Ozil could come at a huge cost
13.50 UPDATE: Arsenal deal ruled out
Arsenal are NOT interested in reuniting manager Unai Emery with Sevilla ace Ever Banega, according to transfer guru Guillem Balague.
"Those are reports that keep coming into the media every now and again," Balague said. "I think the last time was about a month ago.
"They are stories which originated in Sevilla around three months ago. It’s very old news and I’m pretty sure that Arsenal are not looking for that kind of player."
Banega had been touted as a potential replacement for Aaron Ramsey, who will leave the Gunners for Juventus on a free transfer this summer.
12.50 UPDATE: Two Chelsea players to stay
Chelsea will have no option but to keep hold of Willian and Pedro if their transfer ban is upheld, says Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson.
"All of a sudden now, you look at [Callum] Hudson-Odoi, you know you need to get him in the team," Merson said.
"You know, as Sean [Goater] just said, he gets bums off seats, he gets the ball and everybody’s lifted in the ground, you think he’s gonna do something special.
"Now, does he get a game? Because they can’t sell Willian, they can’t sell Pedro. They can’t sell anybody now in the next two windows, because they can’t bring anybody in."
12.10 UPDATE: Clarke reveals Rangers talks
Kilmarnock boss Steve Clarke has revealed Ibrox chiefs insisted sectarianism was not a problem anymore when he held talks over taking charge of Rangers.
"They assured me as a club it was no longer an issue," he continued. "One of the issues we discussed was me being from the west coast.
"I sensed that would be one of the issues and Rangers assured me that they as a club had addressed it, were trying to address it, and it wasn't an issue any more.
"The other night showed to me that: 'Yeah, there is still something there.' "There is still that undercurrent that unfortunately blights the west coast of Scotland, or the country as a whole I don't know."
11.05 UPDATE: Why Ronaldo left Real Madrid
Ramon Calderon has shed some light on the real reason Cristiano Ronaldo quit Real Madrid for Juventus last summer.
"Cristiano asked for a raise after winning the Champions League and Florentino denied it," Calderon said.
"Cristiano also got angry because he heard that Madrid would be willing to pay a lot of money for Neymar.
"Florentino [Perez] told him that if he brought in a cheque for €100m he would let him go and that's how it was."
10.50 UPDATE: Chelsea want Barcelona ace
Chelsea are interested in prising Ivan Rakitic away from Barcelona when the current campaign draws to a close, reports in Spain suggest.
Rakitic has enjoyed a strong stint at the Nou Camp since joining Barcelona from La Liga rivals Sevilla back in 2014.
But there might be a changing of the guard in the summer with confirmed signing Frenkie de Jong to be followed by other arrivals.
Spanish newspaper Sport reckon Chelsea are keen on Rakitic - although they will face competition from Bayern Munich.
09.50 UPDATE: Kane on Arsenal exit
Harry Kane has revealed leaving Arsenal as a kid spurred him on to make his mark at their north London rivals Tottenham.
"I got released when I was eight years old," Kane said. "And at eight, you don't know how to react to that.
"Luckily, I had my family around to keep me concentrated. Since then, I've always had a chip on my shoulder. I've always wanted to prove people wrong.
"And prove to myself that I can do it, as well. I’m very competitive in everything that I do, sport or non-sport. I want to do my best and be the best."
09.10 UPDATE: Liverpool need Coutinho
Liverpool are still missing Philippe Coutinho 12 months on from his big-money move to Barcelona.
That is the verdict of Paul Merson ahead of Sunday’s showdown with Manchester United at Old Trafford.
"United's midfield has more guile and goals in it than Liverpool’s," said Arsenal legend Merson.
"They miss Philippe Coutinho, someone who has that X factor and can produce something out of nothing."
08.50 UPDATE: 'A few signings' for Man Utd
Manchester United legend Nemanja Vidic is backing the Red Devils to fight for Premier League glory if they make a few decent signings.
"I think [Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is] doing a fantastic job," Vidic said. "It seems like everything is positive now.
"Even players who were criticised before, they're different players now. They're playing some great football, and tactically he's done well.
"The players know they are good enough to get into the Champions League. Next year, with a few signings, maybe even challenge for the title. I want us to win that trophy again."
08.10 UPDATE: Chelsea target FOUR stars
Chelsea have earmarked four players as targets ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window, according to reports.
The Sun indicate Blues chiefs are ready to splash out a mega £200m if they get their transfer ban postponed.
Alex Telles and Kalidou Koulibaly are said to have been earmarked following their performances at Porto and Napoli respectively.
Chelsea are reported to be eager to strengthen going forward too, with Real Madrid’s Isco and Inter Milan’s Mauro Icardi in their sights.
07.55 UPDATE: Arsenal receive Ozil warning
Arsenal will have to pay around £100m if they ever need to replace Mesut Ozil, claims former boss Arsene Wenger.
"He has a contract but the problem is that, if you want to buy a player like him, you have to spend £100m," Wenger said.
"And to maintain the value of the player, beyond the Ozil case, it is more about the way football is structured.
"To buy players of top, top quality you need £100m. So the decision you have to make is whether you re-sign the player, who costs us nothing, or do we have the money to buy a new player?"
07.30 UPDATE: Liverpool move prediction
Birmingham star Ched Adams would be a great signing for Liverpool, former Blues defender Michael Johnson has exclusively told Express Sport.
"He loves the ball in and around the box and I think he has what it takes to play at the very top," Johnson said.
"I tend to see him as a player that wants to be physical and wants the ball in behind to use his pace.
"I think he would also fit in perfectly at a team like Liverpool."
07.05 UPDATE: £200m Chelsea plan
Chelsea are ready to hand Zinedine Zidane a mega £200m transfer kitty if he takes charge at Stamford Bridge this summer, reports claim.
The Blues were slapped with a two window transfer ban on Friday but plan to delay it by lodging an appeal with FIFA.
That would allow them to make signings at the end of the season, with Zidane being lined up to replace the under fire Maurizio Sarri.
The Sun claim Chelsea would be happy to give the Frenchman up to £200m to spend on overhauling the squad he would inherit.
06.40 UPDATE: Man Utd vs Real Madrid scrap
Manchester United and Real Madrid could be in for a battle of a different kind this summer if they both want Mauricio Pochettino, Guillem Balague says.
"There is no update. He has got a contract with Spurs. There is no direct clause, so if anybody wants him, they are going to have to convince Daniel Levy. If anybody wants to go for him, they will have to make him the most expensive manager in history," Balague told The Sport Review.
"In a way, that would perhaps change the way that managers are perceived. Because if somebody decides to pay £30m, £40m, £50m for a manager… that could be the start of a new era in a way. I think what we are seeing is a manager that is looking at the day-to-day.
"What he cannot control, it’s better not to get worried about. It doesn’t matter if Real Madrid or Manchester United try to come and get him, because as he’s always said, they will have to talk to Levy – it’s not in his hands. So that’s where we stand."