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The news coming from Turin will catch many pundits by surprise. Juventus are prepared to let Ronaldo go at the end of the season. Why would they want to do that when it is clear he is central to their expected success? If true, the unconfirmed rumours could see one of the costliest transfers and perhaps make Ronaldo the oldest highest paid athlete.

Is there some truth to these rumours? Football pundits say it’s a classic case of making hay while the sun shines. Ronaldo is still a prolific goal machine even as he turns 36 next year.  Juventus could be looking to sell him while they can still make some money out of him.

Ronaldo is being linked to a range of clubs at different bookmakers. Which one do you predict he will end up at? Place your predictions using the best betting offers UK to maximize your winnings.

Why is Ronaldo Leaving?

The big question still is, why would Juventus let their star scorer go? The grapevine has it that Andrew Pirlo thinks Ronaldo is a bit selfish and too much of an attention seeker. While it is true that Ronaldo has been consistently delivering the goals, his magic may not rub off on the rest of the team.

Juventus were beaten 2-0 by Barcelona in UEFA Champions League group stages. The team is wallowing at fifth in the Serie A table. The Bianconeri have to rediscover their magic fast if the season is to go their way.

The Torinese had spent an eye-watering €100 million to buy the star striker from Real Madrid in 2018. There were high hopes that he would help them lift the elusive UEFA Champions trophy. But Juventus is yet to lift the trophy. Maybe the club feels that this  investment has not had the expected returns.

Ronaldo’s salary is another pain point for the club. He signed up for a £28million (€31 million) a year. It is twice higher than the next most paid player, Matthijs de Ligt. The club would be happy to see this hefty bill off their books. There is a feeling that there are younger and upcoming strikers who will cost less and deliver just as well, with a bit of nurturing.

There is a very real financial incentive for Juventus to sell Ronaldo before his contract ends in 2022. The terms of the contract were that he walks free after the contract. Juventus could be trying to pre-empt this loss by selling him before the contract ends.

Where Would he go?

Which club will be willing to pay top dollar for a striker at the tail end of his career? There are few takers for a 36-year old striker, but this is no ordinary striker. Ronaldo has crunched up very impressive stats in his career. Ronaldo was instrumental in his club taking Serie A last season.  His international role has also been stellar, with 101 goals for Portugal. This is the combined tally for Thierry Henry and Robin Van Persie, the second and third placed top European scorers.

His total score was 31 goals for Juventus in the last season. This has made him one of the only two players to ever  net more than 30 goals in five different European leagues. He has scored 130 goals in UEFA Champion games. With five Ballon d’or awards, he has earned his place among the world’s best footballers of all time.

Potential Suitors

PSG has been rumoured to be interested in signing him up. For one, the French club has deep pockets that will be required for such a transfer. PSG sports director, Leonardo Araújo, is reported to have said that PSG still can pull off such a transfer. He opined that PSG would be ready to ‘enter the circle’ if Ronaldo becomes available.

Manchester City is also mentioned in the same breath. It is no secret that the Emirati owned club has bottomless pockets and is not afraid to spend. It is also true that this season is not going very well for the Citizens. They need someone to replace the injury-prone Sergio Aguero.

Man City was looking to move on Messi when the Barcelona striker announced his unexpected exit at the season’s end. But rumour has it that they think Ronaldo is a better bargain. For City, it would also be another chance to upstage their bitter rivals, Manchester United. Ronaldo was once United’s blue-eyed boy, and it would be immensely cathartic to field him in Old Trafford.

So is Ronaldo on the move again? Only time will tell.

It’s fair to say Ollie Watkins has enjoyed an incredible start to life at Aston Villa.

Signed from Brentford in the summer transfer window, the 24-year-old has started like a house on fire for Dean Smith’s side, bagging five goals in his six opening games – including netting a terrific hat-trick against Premier League champions Liverpool in a 7-2 win for his team.

However, things could have been oh-so different for Villa had they managed to secure a deal for Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard. Reports suggested that the Premier League side were one of the teams interested in luring the Frenchman away from Parkhead, with Bhoys boss Neil Lennon admitting interest in his star striker from elsewhere.

He said: “We don’t want Odsonne to go, obviously, and we have had no significant interest in him as yet. There’s always a bit of agitation when the window is open, but speaking to him he seems content enough.”

Like Watkins, Edouard has also enjoyed a fine start to the new season up in Scotland, scoring six times in 13 games across all competitions. Crucially, the France U21 international has had plenty of experience at a high level, whether that be on the international stage or in European competition with Celtic.

In his time at Parkhead, Edouard has scored 13 goals and provided eight assists in 32 games in a mixture of Champions League and Europa League outings, and his ability to both find the back of the net himself and create opportunities for others makes him a complete striker.

It’s no surprise that Lennon has talked highly about his star striker, saying: “He’s hugely important (to us), he’s an outstanding footballer, talismanic almost, he’s so talented, so cool. He’s up there with some of the best we’ve had over the last 20 odd years.”

Valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt, Edouard’s numbers in some key areas are comfortably better than Watkins from this season. As per Whoscored, the Frenchman boasts a greater average in shots (3.7 to 3.3), dribbles (1.7 to one), and pass accuracy too (80.1 to 59.7%).

Watkins has shown plenty of promise in his first few games for his new club, but he still has a long way to go to prove himself at the highest level given that he has been playing in the lower divisions.

Edouard may well have been the lesser risk in the summer.

And in other news, Villa must fend off the competition to sign this Championship star.

According to The Daily Mirror, Wolves are interested in signing Liverpool star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in this summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have already done business with the Reds in recent days, with Diogo Jota making the big-money to Anfield.

Now, The Daily Mirror claim that the Reds’ capture of Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago could force Oxlade-Chamberlain into a move away from Merseyside, and that Wolves hope to convince him.

Spot the fact from the fib: Are these Premier League records true or false?

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The report further adds Jurgen Klopp’s side will look to recoup much of the £25m they paid Arsenal to initially sign him back in the summer of 2017 if they are to sell the England international.

Nuno’s dream signing

Much like one of their earlier summer transfer targets, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Oxlade-Chamberlain is equally as versatile, but crucially, has been playing in a side that has been competing for every possible major honour in European football in his time at Liverpool.

Able to play in central midfield, as well as even as a wing-back, full-back or winger, the 27-year-old would bring a wealth of experience and give Wolves another string to their bow.

Nuno could better rotate his squad having someone like Oxlade-Chamberlain in his ranks, and he has got all the physical attributes to be a real force for the Molineux side.

Speaking back in October after his goal-scoring display against Genk in the Champions League, Rio Ferdinand said: “You can tell Klopp loves him and he’s desperate to get him in the team somehow. He offers something totally different to the likes of Milner, Wijnaldum, Fabinho and Henderson. He can dribble past people which is hard for a midfielder. It’s great to see him get back in. I like the way that he gets into those positions.

“Once he gets into those pockets in behind the opposition’s midfield he can dribble and shoot. He’s a fantastic footballer and it’s all about decision making there. He offers something totally different in the midfield for Liverpool.”

If Wolves can convince Liverpool to sell Oxlade-Chamberlain, then they would be getting a major coup.

West Bromwich Albion have been tipped to sign an interesting name before the transfer deadline by former Hawthorns legend Kevin Phillips…

What’s the word?

Speaking to West Brom News, the 47-year-old believes AFC Bournemouth forward Joshua King should be targeted over mooted top target Karlan Grant.

He said:

“I like King. If you give me him as an option over Islam Slimani and Karlan Grant, I would take Joshua King all day long. That’s someone, who if he is on their radar, I would certainly make enquiries for. If a Premier League club comes knocking on the door now, I would seriously consider it.”

Meanwhile, The Sun believe the Cherries would be willing to let the 28-year-old leave for a cut-price £10m.

Perfect solution

This could certainly be the wiser decision to make if the Baggies’ Luke Dowling and co listen to Phillips’ advice, especially as King is available on the cheap.

He’s also far more experienced in the top-flight having enjoyed a good five seasons at Bournemouth where he was a frequent and prolific goalscorer.

The Norweigan international has never scored fewer than six goals in a Premier League campaign with a career-best of 16 coming in the 2016/17 season, per WhoScored.

Despite their relegation last season, King still contributed to ten goals, averaging two dribbles, 1.2 key passes and one shot per game whilst also playing across the front three and in the hole too.

It’s no wonder that Eddie Howe lauded his exciting dynamo as a “complete package” as he’s “outstanding physically, technically and mentally”.

Grant is yet to feature in the Premier League in his career and is commanding a whopping £18m from Huddersfield Town, so there’s surely only one smart answer to finding the solution to Bilic’s striker nightmare.

£10m for a proven goalscorer in King. It’s a no-brainer.

AND in other news, West Brom must launch £6m move for PL winger…

After coming on as a second-half substitute against Dundee United, Celtic new boy Albian Ajeti introduced himself to Scottish football by firing home the winner seven minutes from time.

The Switzerland international had just joined from Premier League side West Ham earlier this month in a deal worth around £4.5m, with Neil Lennon quick to sing his praises after the match. The Hoops boss said: “He’s had an early impact already and that’s great for us. He’s not match fit, he’s not had a lot of football in the last 12 months. But he did great to keep the ball alive for the goal and his link-up play was good as well. It’s brilliant for him.”

But whilst Ajeti may have been the match-winner on the day, it was Ryan Christie who arguably stole the show for Celtic, making sure Dundee United goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist earned his pay-cheque.

Can you name every one of the Celtic’s top goalscorers from the past 15 seasons? It’s a tricky one…

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As per Sofascore, out of the 23 total shots that Celtic took, nine of them were taken by Christie, with three finding the target, three being blocked by some desperate defending and another three missing their mark.

The 25-year-old was unlucky not to get onto the score-sheet at least once, with Siegrist pulling off a stunning save to deny a strike destined for the top corner. And of course, it was Christie’s strike that eventually led to Ajeti’s goal.

But aside from that, the Scotland international was a real live-wire throughout the match, completing all eight of his attempted dribbles – to put that incredible statistic into context, if you combined the rest of Christie’s teammates, as well as the entire Dundee United side, you would only get seven successful dribbles.

The attacking midfielder wasn’t shy of doing his defensive work either, making three tackles and winning a mammoth 13 duels out of the 16 that he contested on the ground.

It was an all-action display from the Celtic ace, and whilst Ajeti may be taking home the plaudits, it was he who was the real hero for Lennon on Saturday.

Manchester United are close to agreeing a deal with Borussia Dortmund to sign Jadon Sancho this summer, reports say.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has identified the 11-cap England international as his top target in the transfer window as he feels he can fill the right sided forward role that has frustrated Man United for several years now.

Rarely a day goes by without a report tipping Sancho with a move to Old Trafford, although talks have intensified after the Red Devils reached the Champions League by clinching a third-place finish on the final day of the Premier League season.

According to The Guardian, the English forward has agreed personal terms to pave the way for him to sign a five-year-deal at the Theatre of Dreams.

Fabrizio Romano revealed both clubs are confident they can seal a deal to make the 20-year-old the most expensive English football player in history, as Man United are expected to spend an initial €100m (£90m) fee over the course of three instalments, with an extra €20m for performance-related bonuses.

It is understood that Dortmund want to sort out a transfer by next week to give them time to find a replacement and meet their original deadline of August 10.

Sancho is set to receive wages which are reportedly worth £250,000 a week, which will be a huge increase on what he currently earns at the Signal Iduna Park.

The former Manchester City graduate was the Bundesliga club’s top scorer last season, having scored 20 goals and supplied 18 assists in all competitions (via WhoScored), and will be expected to compete with Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood for a place in Solskjaer’s side.

He has emerged as one of Europe’s hottest talents after leaving the Etihad for Dortmund three years ago.

Fans will have to wait and see how the story develops but it seems as though Sancho may become a United player in a matter of days and he could follow in the footsteps of club legends David Beckham and Eric Cantona to wear the famous No. 7 jersey.

United fans, do you think Ed Woodward will sign Sancho this summer? Let us know down below!

The Daily Record has suggested that Glasgow Rangers make a move for Ilia Gruev after his contract at Werder Bremen recently came to an end.

The 20-year-old made the move to Bremen in 2015, and has played for their youth teams ever since. He has previously been compared to Fernando Redondo, but he failed to make a single appearance for the Bundesliga outfit, and he is now available on a free transfer. Whilst he is still without experience at the highest level, he could be a no-risk signing for Steven Gerrard.

Although he did not play for Bremen’s first team in the previous campaign, he did appear for their second team in the Regionalliga Nord. In 15 matches, he managed two goals and four assists, which is not a bad return for someone who is primarily a defensive midfielder. Bremen have had a very difficult term in the Bundesliga in the previous campaign, only staying up via the relegation play-off against Heidenheim, and even then only on away goals – manager Florian Kohfeldt had little opportunity to give inexperienced players their first opportunities in professional football.

Now out of contract, and with wages that are unlikely to be through the roof, Gruev could be a bargain for Ross Wilson and co at Ibrox. He is still very young and could certainly improve and with a Transfermarkt value of £180,000, taking him for nothing would surely be decent business.

Let us know what you think below!

Newcastle United’s takeover is still yet to be officially complete and this week further doubts over the deal have emerged, leaving fans in a frenzy on social media.

The Guardian revealed late on Monday evening that new legal documents have raised ‘fresh questions’ over the Magpies prospective takeover by a Saudi-backed consortium.

It’s also claimed that Premier League lawyers are reviewing information which is said to establish a link between the Saudi government and a pirate streaming service which broadcasts English football illegally.

It means that any announcement that was expected this week has been pushed back and supporters aren’t happy whatsoever.

The news was relayed by popular Twitter account @NUFC360 and much of the St James’ Park faithful have responded in their masses.

Stuck in isolation? Our mega footy quiz will cure any boredom…

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Plenty are starting to worry if the takeover is even going to happen, and the longer this goes on without any substantial confirmation, then the more fans are going to worry.

Here’s how they have been reacting to the report…

AND in other news, Craig Hope claims Newcastle takeover will be further delayed…

Wolverhampton Wanderers should not splash out €18.3m (roughly £16.4m) on Gonzalo Higuain after transfer news emerged from Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness) that the Midlands club are interested in signing the Juventus striker in the upcoming summer transfer window.

As per Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Newcastle United are also interested, assuming that their prospective takeover by the Saudi-led consortium is approved by the Premier League.

Juventus are apparently looking at a possible sale from a financial point of view, as Higuain only has one year left on his current contract which will allegedly not be renewed – meaning that this is the last chance for the Italian giants to make some money from him without incurring too much of a loss. Corriere dello Sport explained that Higuaín and his contract are still worth €18.3m (£16.4m) on the Serie A team’s books, which is the fee that they would apparently be seeking on the transfer market.

The Argentina international has arguably not fared well in the league so far this season, scoring just five goals and making four assists in 23 appearances, according to loan spell at Chelsea, the Blues decided not to sign him permanently, as he netted a relatively unimpressive five strikes in 14 games.

You can read the very latest on this transfer news story and others on our dedicated Wolves transfer rumours feed.

Although Higuain has had the goal scoring touch before for big clubs, he is 32 now and not getting any younger. He would also do well to displace Raul Jimenez in Nuno Espirito Santo’s side given the 29-year old’s very impressive scoring record for Wolves.

Wolves fans, would you like to see Higuain at Molineux? Comment below with your views!

Lots of Manchester United supporters have been remembering Red Devils flop Nick Powell, following his latest comments in an exclusive with the Manchester Evening News. 

Speaking to Dominic Booth, Powell opened up about his time at Old Trafford. The 26-year-old revealed he only signed for United because of Sir Alex Ferguson, and admitted: “I remember waking up from my back operation and he’d announced his retirement. So I had no idea, woke up and then he’d retired.

“I remember saying before that I didn’t want my op, as United had pretty much won the league by then and you needed 10 appearances to get a medal – I was on two or three. I made a couple of bench appearances and I was really enjoying the time, even though I wasn’t playing. He [Ferguson] told me exactly what I was getting into and I didn’t mind that.”

Powell acknowledged “it was always going to be different when Sir Alex retired. If he wasn’t there and I didn’t have a phone call and meetings with him, I probably wouldn’t have gone to United. So it was always going to be a downhill spiral for me as soon as he left.”

After arriving at the Theatre of Dreams from Crewe Alexandra all the way back in the summer of 2012 for £6.75m, the Englishman flopped and only made 9 appearances for United in all competitions, scoring just 1 goal, before departing Manchester for Wigan Athletic on a free transfer.

While it is safe to say things didn’t quite work out during his time at the club, Powell now plies his trade at Championship side Stoke City, where he has netted 4 goals and produced 4 assists for Michael O’Neill’s Potters in the English second division (Transfermarkt).

UtdReport posted his thoughts on Twitter, prompting plenty of replies from the United faithful. One fan remarked the midfielder was “never good enough” and another simply asked “where is he now?”

Have a read through the different reactions down below…

United fans, do you think Nick Powell was Sir Alex Ferguson’s biggest failed signing? Let us know in the comments!