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€28m deal: AC Milan to complete Samuel Chukwueze transfer today

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AC Milan will complete the transfer of Super Eagles attacker Samuel Chukwueze from Villarreal in a deal reportedly worth within the range of €28m today.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano in the early hours of Tuesday disclosed this while providing an update on Chukwueze’s imminent move from La Liga to Serie A.

“AC Milan will complete Samuel Chukwueze’s deal today, it has been done since Monday for €20m fee plus €8m add-ons to Villarreal,” Romano tweeted.

“Chukwueze will land in Milano around 1pm today. Italian centre-back Matteo Gabbia will join Villarreal on loan from AC Milan in a separate deal.”

Meanwhile, former Nigerian international, Sam Sodje is optimistic that fellow compatriot, Chukwueze can handle the pressure of wearing the colours of Milan.

Villarreal and Milan reached agreement on €28million transfer fee for Chukwueze last week and both clubs exchanged documents to finalise the deal on Monday night.

The 24-year-old is scheduled to undergo medical this week and thereafter put pen to paper on a five-year deal at the San Siro Stadium.

He would be the sixth Nigerian football player to dorn the colours of the red and black side of Milan after Taye Taiwo, Nnamdi Oduamadi, Kingsley Umunegbu, Taribo West and Aliyu Datti.

Speaking in an interview on Tuesday on the move, Sodje said Nigerians should be proud that a player in the national team would be playing for the seven-time UEFA Champions League winner.

The 44-year-old former defender, however, stressed that the forward should gear up for the challenge of playing for one of the best clubs in the world.

“AC Milan for a Super Eagles player is such a big club. We Nigerians should be proud that we have someone playing for AC Milan, such an iconic club and that will definitely bring more attention to the national team,” Sodje said during an interview on Brila FM.

“But let’s be factual, let’s be honest, when you play for a bigger club, the expectation is high, the pressure is high, so it depends on how you can handle it.

“It is not as it used to be. I will give you an example. When you play for a team like Chelsea or Manchester United, it is different from when you play for a team like Fulham, because the big clubs win every game, they go to every game and win every game.

“So he would find it different, it all depends on how he can cope with that, but I am sure he can.”

Chukwueze had the best season of his career so far in the yellow and yellow jersey of Villarreal last season, when he scored 13 goals and bagged 11 assists.

The Nigerian international was promoted to the Yellow Submarine’s senior team in 2018 and has gone on to make 207 appearances in all competitons with 37 goals to his name.

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Transfers

Tottenham have Harry Kane buyback clause, Daniel Levy confirms

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Daniel Levy has confirmed that Tottenham have a buyback clause in Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich contract. The chairman was asked at a Spurs’ fans’ forum on Tuesday night whether the clause existed. “Of course,” he replied. Levy did not offer any detail.

Kane moved to Bayern in August for an initial fee of £100m and Spurs said in a statement that he was “always welcome back … he’s a much-loved and valued member of the Spurs family, for ever in our history.”

Related: FC Hollywood make Kane the star in perfect script for Manchester United

The 30-year-old is focused on his new life at Bayern, where he is under contract until 2027, and it is impossible to say how he might feel about one day returning to play for Spurs. When his transfer to Bayern was all-but agreed, he was told to stay away from the Spurs training ground, meaning there would be no face-to-face goodbyes or the chance to personally collect his belongings. His family could not access their box at the stadium.

Spurs have started the season well, with four wins and a draw from five Premier League games and Kane was asked about them as he prepared for Bayern’s Champions League tie against Manchester United on Wednesday night.

“They’ve had a fantastic start,” he said. “I’m always keeping an eye on them and I’ll keep an eye on Tottenham for the rest of my life. I’m really happy to see the team playing the way they are and to see the fans happy is a great thing. I’m sure they’ll be keen to keep that up. They’ve got a massive game coming up [at Arsenal on Sunday], so for sure I’ll see how they get on over the course of the season.”

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Transfers

Man United ‘to revive Frenkie de Jong interest next year’

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Manchester United will reportedly make another attempt to sign Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong in 2024.

The Netherlands international was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford during Erik ten Hag’s first transfer window as Red Devils head coach little over one year ago.

Man United are believed to have come to an agreement with Barcelona over a price, but the midfielder made it clear on multiple occasions that he did not want to leave Camp Nou.

The Red Devils boosted their midfield over the summer with the signings of Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat, with the latter widely expected to join on a permanent basis from Fiorentina next year.

However, the club are likely to be in the market for another big-money player in that position 2024, and according to Fichajes, De Jong remains very much a leading transfer target for the 20-time English champions.

De Jong has been a vital player for Barcelona at the start of this season, scoring once in six appearances, and he played 58 minutes of Tuesday’s 5-0 success over Royal Antwerp in the Champions League.

The 26-year-old has another three years left to run on his contract at Camp Nou but has revealed that discussions over a renewal are ongoing.

“My contract renewal? My agent is taking care of that, but I’m happy here,” transfer expert Fabrizio Romano quotes the midfielder as saying.

Romano claims that De Jong is desperate to stay at Camp Nou, but any new deal would almost certainly come with a salary reduction due to the Catalan outfit’s financial problems.

Man United allegedly still believe that they can convince De Jong to make the move to Old Trafford, although a lot could depend on how the season unfolds for the Red Devils.

Ten Hag’s side have lost three of their first five Premier League matches of the season, and they are currently in Germany preparing for Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.

Barcelona, though, have won each of their last five matches in all competitions, including their Champions League opener at home to Antwerp.

“We’ve started well, I’m happy. We have a very good squad, players with a lot of talent and if we work well and do what we have to do, we can fight for big objectives,” De Jong said after the European success.

The Dutchman has made 189 appearances for Barcelona since arriving from Ajax in the summer of 2019, scoring 16 goals and registering 21 assists in the process.

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Transfers

Louis van Gaal’s stance on taking over as Germany boss revealed

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Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal is keen to become the new manager of the Germany national team, according to reports.

Van Gaal has been out of work since his third stint in charge of the Netherlands, standing down from the role after his nation’s exit at the World Cup in Qatar.

The Dutchman spent two years at Old Trafford between 2014 and 2016 and was famous for his memorable quotes, funny antics and witty behaviour which grabbed headlines and turned him into somewhat of an internet meme.

Van Gaal went viral for thinking Chris Smalling’s name was ‘Mike’ during a press conference while sat next to the player, telling his squad to ‘get horny’ and his iconic dive in front of fourth official Mike Dean on the touchline during a game.

The 72-year-old, who won the FA Cup during his spell at United, is plotting a return to management and it is reported that he is ‘ready to take over’ from Hansi Flick, who was sacked by the German Football Association (DFB) on Sunday.

The DFB are thought to be considering a number of names and former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann – linked to managerial roles at Chelsea and Tottenham this summer – is believed to be the current top candidate.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, meanwhile, is the DFB’s dream choice to replace Flick as they look to secure a new head coach before the country hosts Euro 2024.

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