HOW RUDIGER FOUGHT FOR HIS CHELSEA PLACE
All footballers want one thing – to play regularly. But, for one reason or another, this is not always the case, as Chelsea centre-back Antonio Rudiger experienced earlier this season.
“I’m a competitor, I want to play. Obviously it is frustrating and it was the first time in my career that I had this type of situation,” he said in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports ahead of facing Newcastle on Monday Night Football.
“I just said to myself ‘work, try hard to get back into the first team’. Now I can say I’m receiving the good from the hard work that I did before.”
OLE: I’M FOLLOWING HAALAND CLOSELY
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he is following Erling Haaland‘s progress and believes the Borussia Dortmund striker will have a “fantastic” career.
Haaland has developed into one of the world’s most prolific forwards having scored 39 goals in 41 appearances for Dortmund since joining from Red Bull Salzburg at the end of 2019.
Solskjaer, who coached Haaland during his time in charge of Norwegian club Molde, reportedly met with the 20-year-old before his move to Germany after United head scout Marcel Bout had watched him play against Liverpool in the Champions League last season.
Sky Sports News understood United had met Haaland’s €20m release clause at the time but could not agree on the conditions for the transfer, with the stumbling block believed to be the value of the requested buy-out option if the Norway international moved to Old Trafford.
ARE CHELSEA STILL PAYING LAMPARD?
Frank Lampard is reportedly still being paid his £75,000-a-week salary by former club Chelsea despite being sacked in January.
The Sun claim Lampard has been kept on the payroll and is still due £1.8m in a move designed to mitigate the huge compensation the club have paid previously dismissed managers.
An agreement was reportedly struck whereby he will continue to receive the sum until July.
Lampard was recently linked to the vacancy at Bournemouth but the report claims he would take a financial hit if he were to take up a new position before the summer.
‘SIR ALEX KEEPING CLOSE EYE ON LINGARD’
West Ham boss David Moyes has revealed Sir Alex Ferguson has told him he is keeping a close eye on Manchester United loanee Jesse Lingard.
Lingard scored twice on his Hammers debut at Aston Villa on February 3 after joining the club on loan from Old Trafford, where Moyes had an unhappy spell as manager following the departure of Ferguson.
Asked about Lingard bringing a winning mentality to, Moyes said: “I refer back to my time at Everton when I brought Phil Neville in and I brought Tim Howard in.
“Phil Neville was great for his mentality and what he brought, it really gave us another edge. Him as a player as well gave us something else. I’m hoping Jesse does the same.
“He’s only here in the short term but already I’ve spoken with Sir Alex, who asked me to pass on his best to Jesse; he mentioned he was thinking about him because Sir Alex had him as a boy at Old Trafford.”
‘IMAGINE GOALS KANE WOULD GET AT CITY’
Jamie Redknapp believes Harry Kane will be considering his Tottenham future if the club cannot show the same ambition he has to win a major trophy.
DID TUCHEL ALMOST MANAGE NEWCASTLE?
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel talks about rumours that he could have taken the Newcastle job, leaving his smart phone in the car and Chelsea’s upsurge in form.
WILL ARSENAL TAKE CEBALLOS OPTION?
Arsenal can reportedly turn Dani Ceballos‘ loan spell from Real Madrid into a permanent deal for just £22m, according reports in Spain.
The Spaniard is in his second season on loan in North London but he has lost his place in recent weeks due to injury and the partnership between Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey.
Ceballos could be recalled to the starting XI for the clash against Leeds with Partey set for a period out with a hamstring injury.
Should he impress Mikel Arteta, the Gunners would be in a good position to make a permanent move. Spanish publication La Razon report that Madrid want a fee in the region of £22m for Ceballos.
PARKER UNHAPPY OVER ELLIOTT EXIT
Scott Parker said he was “disappointed” with Harvey Elliott‘s departure from Fulham and believes the compensation fee Liverpool must pay is not sufficient.
Liverpool were ordered to hand Fulham a record £4.3m for a 16-year-old after a tribunal ruled they must pay for the youngster.
The Professional Football Compensation Committee ruled Liverpool must pay an initial £1.5m for Elliott, plus £2.8m in contingent amounts dependent on the player’s performance. There are also payments due for Elliott signing further contracts at Anfield.
DIGNE SET FOR NEW EVERTON DEAL
Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Lucas Digne has agreed a new contract at Everton.
The player will sign officially and club are set to announce next week. Digne is half-way through a five-year deal he signed when he joined in 2018.
The left-back has become one of Carlo Ancelotti’s main-stays since arriving from Barcelona.
Via SKY NEWS
