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Chelsea believe Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri will persuade Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois and Willian to stay

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CHELSEA reckon bringing in Maurizio Sarri as boss will keep their top stars at Stamford Bridge.

Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois and Willian have kept a close eye on Blues’ managerial saga while playing in the World Cup.

 Maurizio Sarri could be the man to come in and keep Chelsea's best players

GETTY IMAGES – GETTY: Maurizio Sarri could be the man to come in and keep Chelsea’s best players

That situation is set to come to a head in the next 24 hours with Antonio Conte facing the sack to be immediately replaced by former Napoli chief Sarri.

However, Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis said yesterday: “The Sarri deal is in the home stretch, it depends on him.

“I’ve laid down my conditions, it is all in the hands of ­lawyers.”

De Laurentiis claims part of Chelsea’s £57million fee for Napoli midfielder Jorginhoincludes a hefty slice of cash for taking manager Sarri — even though he was replaced by fellow Italian Carlo Ancelotti back in May.

Sarri is still employed by Napoli, so they want money to agree to let him go.

Chelsea’s top brass are convinced the change in manager will bring peace to a dressing room where senior players are unhappy with Conte’s abrasive personality.

Midfielder Hazard has two years left on his £200,000-a-week and keeper Courtois just 12 months to run.

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Both Belgians have been sending out signals for months that they could be persuaded to leave Stamford Bridge.

Normally placid Brazil winger Willian took the unusual step of plastering over Conte’s image in an Instagram shot of the Chelsea squad celebrating their FA Cup final win in May.

His fellow countryman David Luiz also fell out with Conte last season.

 Willian suffered World Cup disappointment as Brazil exited in the semi-finals but is still thought to be a prime target for Barcelona

GETTY IMAGES – GETTY: Willian suffered World Cup disappointment as Brazil exited in the semi-finals but is still thought to be a prime target for Barcelona

 Belgium superstar Eden Hazard has been eyeing the managerial situation at Chelsea with keen interest

GETTY – CONTRIBUTOR: Belgium superstar Eden Hazard has been eyeing the managerial situation at Chelsea with keen interest

Sarri, 59, is poised to sign a three-year contract worth around £17.7m and is viewed as more diplomatic in the way he handles the players. Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and key aide Marina Granovskaia believe it will unify the club.

Conte has been in limbo for weeks but insisted he would not quit — so was forced to take pre-season training on Monday under the terms of his contract, which still has a year to run.

Chelsea normally carry on paying sacked managers until their contract expires or they get another job, so Conte could pocket in excess of £10m.

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 Thibaut Courtois is returning from Russia with Belgium after arguably being the best keeper of the World Cup

GETTY – CONTRIBUTOR: Thibaut Courtois is returning from Russia with Belgium after arguably being the best keeper of the World Cup

 

 

 

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Osimhen Crowned 2023 CAF Footballer of the Year

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Victor Osimhen has been named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, cementing his status as one of the world’s top players.

Osimhen surpassed competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah for the prestigious award.

The Super Eagles forward concluded a remarkable year in the imperial Moroccan city of Marakesh, ending Nigeria’s 24-year wait for Africa’s top individual prize, last won by legendary Kanu Nwankwo in 1999.

During the event, Osimhen expressed gratitude, acknowledging the impact of Nigerian legend Emmanuel Amuneke, who coached him at the U-17 level, and the support from fans and fellow players.

“It’s a dream come true for me. I want to thank everyone who has seen me through life’s journey, in achieving my dreams and goals. I appreciate Nigerians and Africa for their unwavering support and encouragement,” he said.

Osimhen recognised the influence of Emmanuel Adebayo, Solomon Kalu, and other African legends, expressing gratitude to his role model, Didier Drogba.

The award reflects Osimhen’s outstanding performances with Napoli, where he played a pivotal role in their Serie A title run, scoring 26 league goals and becoming the first African to win the top scorer award, breaking George Weah’s record in the Italian top-flight.”

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Lionel Messi Secures Historic 8th Ballon d’Or Triumph

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Lionel Messi, the renowned Argentine football icon, clinched the coveted 2023 Ballon d’Or, setting a new record for the 2022 World Cup champion.

In a glamorous event held in Paris, Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami, received the prestigious award on Monday night. This achievement is widely seen as a well-deserved recognition for his pivotal role in guiding the Abiscelete to World Cup victory in the previous year.

Aged 36, Messi succeeded Karim Benzema as the recipient of this award, which acknowledges his exceptional performances during the last season when he inspired Argentina to triumph at the World Cup.

His remarkable displays in Qatar, where he led his nation to a historic victory, enabled him to surpass strong competition, notably from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Haaland secured the second spot in the final voting, with Mbappe finishing third and Kevin De Bruyne taking fourth place.

Messi, a former Barcelona superstar, left an indelible mark at the World Cup, scoring seven crucial goals. His exceptional performance led to him being named the tournament’s best player, especially after Argentina’s victory over France in the final.

While Messi’s World Cup heroics were undeniable, his final season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was relatively lackluster. Subsequently, he made a move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

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His former PSG teammate, Mbappe, made a strong case for the Ballon d’Or with his outstanding World Cup performance, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals, including a memorable hat-trick in the final for France.

Norwegian striker Erling Haaland had a remarkable season, scoring an incredible 52 goals in 53 games for Manchester City. This stellar performance played a pivotal role in helping Pep Guardiola’s team secure a historic treble in the English Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.

Both Haaland and De Bruyne were nominated for the Ballon d’Or from their exceptional contributions to the success of Manchester City.

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“B Sample Reveals Presence of Testosterone in Pogba’s Test Results”

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Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba’s ‘B’ sample has confirmed the presence of testosterone, a source close to the case told AFP on Friday.

The 30-year-old former Manchester United player, a World Cup winner in 2018, faces a ban of up to four years.

The original test by the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado) showed the presence of testosterone metabolites.

On Friday, Pogba learned that the analysis of his B sample, carried out on the previous day, had produced the same result.

The player’s entourage declined to comment.

Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba is liable to a four-year suspension, which could be halved if he proves that he was not at fault.

The ban could even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and is not related to his level of performance”.

Pogba’s representatives said last month that the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States.

Testosterone promotes muscle development.

Contacted by AFP, Nado was unable to confirm this information “due to a decision by the Italian privacy authority”.

Pogba has seven days to submit his defence to Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal, which will investigate his case and request a sanction, a process that could take several weeks.

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In addition to the proceedings of the Italian sports justice system, a judicial investigation will be opened by the Turin public prosecutor’s office, as doping is a criminal offence in Italy.

Since the announcement of his positive test, Pogba has been unable to train with Juventus, the club to which he returned in July 2022 after six seasons with United.

The announcement came shortly before Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri’s press conference on the eve of the Turin derby against Torino, at which he simply said he was “sorry for Paul”.

Contacted by AFP, the club, which has also suspended payment of his estimated annual salary of 8 million euros (8.4 million dollars), did not respond.

Pogba started the season attempting to bounce back from string of injuries last season and from summer surgery.

His sample was reportedly taken at his club’s opening match of the Serie A season, a win at Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.

After the first sample tested positive on September 11,  Pogba’s agent Rafaela Pimenta said she was “awaiting the second sample and cannot have an opinion before the results”.

“What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule,” she added.

 

ALSO READ  Egyptian striker, Salah retains BBC African footballer of the year award

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