CRISTIANO RONALDO wants to leave Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr just a few months after joining from Manchester United, according to reports.
Meanwhile, Leeds are closing in on replacing current boss Javi Gracia with Premier League survival specialist Sam Allardyce.
The Spaniard replaced Jesse Marsch in the dug-out in February, but he has won just three of his 11 matches in charge.
Elsewhere, Chelsea are close to announcing Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager – but the former Argentina defender will not start till next season.
Best online casinos for UK players
Stay up to date with ALL of this summer's transfer news…
- Dylan Terry
Mourinho turned down Chelsea approach
Jose Mourinho reportedly rejected a third spell as Chelsea manager after being approached by his former club.
Club legend Frank Lampard has taken over as interim boss until the end of the season while the search for a long-term replacement continues.
And former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino seems to be closing in on the role.
But according to Corriere dello Sport, via Football Italia, a Chelsea director had contacted Mourinho about the vacancy.
It was reportedly an attempt to gauge Mourinho's interest in the role.
And the Roma head coach is understood to have turned down any discussions about the position.
- Dylan Terry
Messi flies out to Saudi Arabia
Lionel Messi skipped PSG training on Monday to jet out to Saudi Arabia, according to reports.
The forward works as an ambassador for the country's tourism board.
He agreed a £25million deal to promote Saudi Arabia last May but had only visited once prior to this week.
Now Messi has flown out to the Middle East without getting approval from PSG manager Christophe Galtier or sporting director Luis Campos, according to L'Equipe.
The PSG squad was initially only expected back in for training on Tuesday, but the unexpected 3-1 to Lorient on Sunday meant a training session was called for Monday.
However, Messi had already organised his trip to Riyadh and got permission from the club's Qatari board to fly out after previously having to postpone two planned visits.
- Dylan Terry
Havertz confused by Tuchel sacking
Kai Havertz has revealed he was left baffled by Thomas Tuchel's sacking "out of nowhere" back in September.
He told Kicker: "Everything that can go wrong went wrong for us this year.
"The season actually started relatively quietly. We had a change of ownership which was a big change for the club.
"And then Thomas Tuchel was fired, which of course always makes a difference in a team like this when you've been successful with a coach and he gets fired out of nowhere.
"Now we have our backs to the wall and are not [doing] very well in the table.
"Of course it's easy to find excuses. I'm not a fan of blaming everything on something else. At the end of the day, we're all professional footballers and we have to win a game sometimes."
Credit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
- Dylan Terry
Petit criticises Arsenal signing Vieira
Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit has hit out at the club’s transfer activity and questioned the “mistake” of one flop signing.
The French star told Compare.bet: “I don’t think Fabio Vieira has shown as of yet, that he is the right level to play for Arsenal.
“When he signed I thought to myself ‘this guy looks very lightweight for the Premier League’. I don’t think he’s ready for the Premier League physically and mentally.”
He then added: “You can also say that he’s struggled not getting consistent game time and when you compare him to Emile Smith-Rowe, who I think has a future with Arsenal, he’s not the same.
“Respectfully, I think it was perhaps a mistake signing Vieira.”
- Alex Smith
O'Neill would've joined Leicester
Club hero Martin O'Neill, 71, claims he would have re-joined Leicester 23 years after managing the team, if they had approached him.
He was one of the names linked with the Foxes job before Dean Smith was appointed as Brendan Rodgers' replacement.
O'Neill, who won the League Cup with Leicester, said: "If they had asked me, which they didn’t, I think that would have been interesting because you feel as if you could have got some points on the board.
"I’m not saying it would have been a long-term thing. I would have thought about it, anyway. And since Roy Hodgson is 114 and Neil Warnock is 112 I think I am quite young.”
- Alex Smith
Spurs in for Ward-Prowse
Tottenham are interested in signing James Ward Prowse, claim The Daily Mail.
The Southampton skipper could look to leave the club in the summer with the Saints heading towards relegation.
Newcastle have also been linked with the midfielder.
Meanwhile, Spurs are also keeping an eye on James Maddison and Morgan Gibbs-White from relegation threatened sides.
- Alex Smith
Return of Big Sam
Leeds "have sacked Javi Gracia" after just 11 matches in charge and are set to hire Sam Allardyce to try and save them.
The Spaniard replaced Jesse Marsch in the dug-out in February but he has won just three of his 11 matches in charge.
Sunday’s 4-1 defeat at Bournemouth was the club’s five-straight loss and only goal difference separates them from 18th-placed Nottingham Forest.
Now owner Andrea Radrizzani, who told a fan that he is “responsible for this s***” after Leeds suffered a fifth-straight defeat, has pulled the trigger with just four games left to save their Premier League status.
That's according to journalist Fabrizio Romano, who tweeted: “Sam Allardyce will be appointed as new Leeds United coach until the end of current season, confirmed.
"Javi Gracia will be sacked in the next hours as expected. Club director Victor Orta has also parted ways with the club.”
Credit: PA
Source: Read Full Article