A heart-warming admission proved Bukayo Saka will never forget his footballing roots.
Saka has cemented himself as a homegrown hero at Arsenal, having made almost 250 appearances for the Gunners since his debut in 2018.
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Saka has not forgotten where his football career beganCredit: Getty
The 23-year-old has also represented England at two European Championships and the 2022 World Cup.
Safe to say, Saka has come a long way from when he began his football journey with Greenford Celtic in west London.
But no matter how far he travels across the globe and the staggering calibre of opponents he plays against, his hometown club will always hold a special place in his heart.
In a promotional video for American bank Chase, Saka caught up with Colin Nixon, who was the England international’s first coach.
As the pair caught up, Saka revealed he still has a Greenford Celtic shirt in his possession – and it’s in excellent company.
“In my house, I have some very special shirts, some big names,” Saka said.
“[Thierry] Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo, also a shirt that’s up there is my Greenford Celtic shirt that I wore when I was playing under Colin.
“It’s where I started this whole journey. I’m here today because Colin was one of the people who gave me an opportunity to play football, and from there I got scouted.
“So it was an honour to link up with Colin again.”
Saka has played Ronaldo three times in his career, with all of their encounters taking place in the Premier League during CR7’s second spell with Manchester United.
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Saka was reunited with his first football coach from boyhood club Greenford Celtic – his old shirt is one of his prized possessionsCredit: Sky Sports
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One of Saka’s ‘very special shirts’ belongs to Cristiano RonaldoCredit: Getty
Ronaldo scored twice in their first game against one another as United emerged 3-2 victors in the 2021/22 season.
Arsenal exacted their revenge by beating United 3-1 in the reverse fixture, with Saka scoring the Gunners’ second.
Ronaldo had to make do with a spot on the bench for the third game in which he faced off against Saka, although the Red Devils won 3-1.
As for Henry, Saka certainly has happier memories of his encounters with the Gunners icon.
Henry coached Saka during his days working in the club’s academy, but not even he could have foreseen the 23-year-old going on to enjoy the career he has to date.
Saka is already producing some special numbers this season
“He’s been there for so long and he’s so nice. I never thought he would reach the levels we are seeing.
“He’s a starter for Arsenal, he’s a starter for England. I remember when he started he was playing wing-back and the evolution of his game is outstanding because he used to be so lively, to now scoring goals and assists.”
Although Saka has cemented himself as one of Arsenal’s most vital stars, he has some way to go before he matches Henry’s feats.
Throughout his two stints with the Gunners, Henry registered 228 goals and 93 assists in 377 appearances across all competitions.
Henry also helped Arsenal to two Premier League titles and two FA Cup triumphs.
The French icon also finished second and third in the Ballon d’Or rankings in 2003 and 2006 respectively, highlighting his status in the global game.
Darren Bent calls Bukayo Saka world class as he praises the Arsenal star for his consistency
Gary Neville has lifted the lid on his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo following the Portuguese star’s infamous pitchside snub.
Ronaldo was accused of blanking Gary Neville live on Sky Sports ahead of Manchester United’s Premier League clash against West Ham in October 2022.
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Cristiano Ronaldo endured a tumultuous last few months at Manchester UnitedCredit: Getty
During the pre-match build-up, the icon exchanged pleasantries with former teammate Louis Saha and Jamie Redknapp but left without acknowledging broadcast colleague Neville.
The situation stemmed from Ronaldo’s antics when benched for the United 2-0 win over Tottenham two weeks earlier.
He was seen storming down the tunnel in the final stages of the match after former United boss Erik ten Hag opted against bringing him on.
The act of petulance resulted in him being dropped for the 1-1 draw at Chelsea the following week, leading to Neville admitting he wanted Ronaldo to ‘leave the club.’
Neville said at the time: “For me, Erik ten Hag had no choice, no option. Cristiano’s left the ground twice, you can’t do that.
“On the eve of pre-season, he asked for a transfer, he’s building up a list of things. It’s a messy end and Ten Hag is trying to establish control.
“End it this week or create a truce to get to the World Cup, it’s not doing him any favours. Leaving the dressing room before full-time, that’s not what he does, if you’re doing things like that you’ve got to leave.”
Ronaldo has since kept his distance from the Sky Sports pundit, something his broadcast colleagues regularly rib about Neville.
And with Ronaldo scoring again on international duty, Neville was queried about his relationship with the Portuguese superstar by colleague Jamie Carragher.
He told The Overlap US: “He’s never not been my friend.
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Ronaldo stormed down the tunnel in the closing stages of the 2-0 win over SpursCredit: Rex
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Ronaldo deliberately blanked Neville live on air before the game against West HamCredit: Sky Sports
“To be fair, the situation at United at the end, he went and did that interview with Piers Morgan, I didn’t feel that was the right way to end it, personally.
“I feel as though he’s a guy who has achieved basically everything in the game and more.
“He’s at 910 goals, which is absolutely scandalous. And he’s going to finish with 1000, there is no way that that guy, with the way in which he believes and thinks, is going to finish without 1000. He will continue until he gets there.
“The way in which he gets there and keeps going is unbelievable. His determination and his willing to keep going and keep being professional every single year is fantastic.”
After further ribbing from Carragher about Ronaldo’s snub to Neville in 2022 he added: “To be fair, I never spoke to him before that for eight or nine years.
“I wasn’t friends with Cristiano when I played at the club. He was a great teammate, a special player.
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Ronaldo let loose on the state of Manchester United in a tell-all interview with Piers Morgan in November 2022Credit: TalkTV
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Neville lifted the lid on hid relationship with Ronaldo on the Overlap USCredit: overlap US
“I believe he helped Manchester United enormously back in the day and I believe Manchester United was very good for him as well, so were the senior players around him in terms of the principles and that’s where I was disappointed with him at the end at United.
“There were a group of young players at United at that time, the likes of Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood and a couple more young players who were struggling with pressure and the exposure of Man United and he was a guy who could carry this on his shoulders in abundance.
“I expected at that time that he wouldn’t be the guy sat on the bench behind the manager at Brentford sulking.
“I didn’t expect him to wander off the pitch at the end of the Everton game when he’d been substituted early in the Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] era.
“Things like that are not him.”
Neville continued: “There are points when the leader stands up like Harry Kane has done with England, speaks with authority to make sure the standards are kept.
Arsenal fans rage at historic video of Gary Neville thanking referee for Man United game
“I just felt as though at times that didn’t happen at United but I’m sure he was incredibly frustrated by the level of football player and football he was witnessing as well because he’s got incredible standards
“I see it from his side but just a difference of how to deal with it, I think.”
Gary Neville has lifted the lid on his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo following the Portuguese star’s infamous pitchside snub.
Ronaldo was accused of blanking Gary Neville live on Sky Sports ahead of Manchester United’s Premier League clash against West Ham in October 2022.
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Cristiano Ronaldo endured a tumultuous last few months at Manchester UnitedCredit: Getty
During the pre-match build up, Ronaldo exchanged pleasantries with former teammate Louis Saha and Jamie Redknapp but left without acknowledging broadcast colleague Neville.
The situation stemmed from Ronaldo’s antics when benched for the United 2-0 win over Tottenham two weeks earlier.
He was seen storming down the tunnel in the final stages of the match after former United boss Erik ten Hag opted against bringing him on.
The act of petulance resulted in him being dropped for the 1-1 draw at Chelsea the following week, leading to Neville admitting he wanted Ronaldo to ‘leave the club.’
Neville said at the time: “For me, Erik ten Hag had no choice, no option. Cristiano’s left the ground twice, you can’t do that. On the eve of pre-season, he asked for a transfer, he’s building up a list of things. It’s a messy end and Ten Hag is trying to establish control.
“End it this week or create a truce to get to the World Cup, it’s not doing him any favours. Leaving the dressing room before full-time, that’s not what he does, if you’re doing things like that you’ve got to leave.”
Ronaldo has since kept his distance from the Sky Sports pundit, something Neville is regularly ribbed about by his broadcast colleagues.
And with Ronaldo scoring again on international duty, Neville was queried about his relationship with the Portuguese superstar by colleague Jamie Carragher.
He told The Overlap US: “He’s never not been my friend.
“To be fair, the situation at United at the end, he went and did that interview with Piers Morgan, I didn’t feel that was the right way to end it, personally.
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Ronaldo stormed down the tunnel in the closing stages of the 2-0 win over SpursCredit: Rex
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Ronaldo deliberately blanked Neville live on air before the game against West HamCredit: Sky Sports
“I feel as though he’s a guy who has achieved basically everything in the game and more.
“He’s at 910 goals, which is absolutely scandalous. And he’s going to finish with 1000, there is no way that that guy, with the way in which he believes and thinks, is going to finish without 1000. He will continue until he gets there.
“The way in which he gets there and keeps going is unbelievable. His determination and his willing to keep going and keep being professional every single year is fantastic.”
After further ribbing from Carragher about Ronaldo’s snub to Neville in 2022 he added: “To be fair, I never spoke to him before that for eight or nine years.
“I wasn’t friends with Cristiano when I played at the club. He was a great teammate, a special player.
“I believe he helped Manchester United enormously back in the day and I believe Manchester United was very good for him as well, so were the senior players around him in terms of the principles and that’s where I was disappointed with him at the end at United.
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Ronaldo let loose on the state of Manchester United in a tell-all interview with Piers Morgan in November 2022Credit: TalkTV
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Neville lifted the lid on hid relationship with Ronaldo on the Overlap USCredit: overlap US
“There were a group of young players at United at that time, the likes of Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood and a couple more young players who were struggling with pressure and the exposure of Man United and he was a guy who could carry this on his shoulders in abundance.
“I expected at that time that he wouldn’t be the guy sat on the bench behind the manager at Brentford sulking.
“I didn’t expect him to wander off the pitch at the end of the Everton game when he’d been substituted early in the Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] era.
“Things like that are not him.”
Neville continued: “There are points when the leader stands up like Harry Kane has done with England, speaks with authority to make sure the standards are kept.
“I just felt as though at times that didn’t happen at United but I’m sure he was incredibly frustrated by the level of football player and football he was witnessing as well because he’s got incredible standards
Arsenal fans rage at historic video of Gary Neville thanking referee for Man United game
“I see it from his side but just a difference of how to deal with it, I think.”
Every year budding footballers are dubbed the ‘next Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo’ but one star remains the original wonderkid.
Former Juventus midfielder Matteo Brighi still boasts the second-highest FIFA (NKA FC) rating of all time with a whopping 97 score.
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Matteo Brighi had the world at his feet after a stunning loan spell at BolognaCredit: Getty
The Italian was crowned by EA Sports as the best in the world following the release of FIFA 03 in October 2002 – two months after a teenage CR7 made his professional debut with Sporting Lisbon.
Ironically, it is only Ronaldo‘s Brazilian namesake who has ever earned a higher overall than Brighi on any edition of the franchise’s history.
To put that into further context, Messi and Ronaldo, who have won a combined 13 Ballons d’Or between them, have never been higher than a 94 on any individual EA entry.
In defence of Brighi, the youngster had just been bestowed the Serie A Young Footballer of the Year award – following in the footsteps of Francesco Totti and Alessandro Nesta.
However, FIFA bigwigs had been overzealous in investing in the potential of a player tipped to be the next big thing.
Just two years prior Brighi was starring in Italy’s now-defunct fourth tier, formerly known as Serie C2, then Lega Pro Seconda Divisione.
The midfielder had come through the ranks of boyhood club Rimini where he caught the eye of now-Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti.
Ancelotti took the reigns at Juventus in February 1999 and hoped to make Brighi among his first signings for the club that summer as part of a drive to stockpile the best young talent in Europe.
The teenager surprised the ex-Chelsea gaffer by opting to stay at Rimini for a further season to finish his diploma in accounting.
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Both Messi and Ronaldo have peaked at a rating of 94
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Brighi partnered Pirlo in Italy’s U21 side that beat England in 2002Credit: Getty
“I didn’t feel like coming immediately, I wasn’t ready yet,” said Brighi in 2000. “It was better to wait, and have a little more experience.”
Brighi arrived instead a year into Ancelotti’s Juve reign having scored six goals in 34 games as Rimini ultimately lost in the playoffs.
The Bianconeri hierarchy waxed lyrical about their new prodigy, with controversial ex-club executive Luciano Moggi comparing him to Real Madrid legend Fernando Redondo – who had just won UEFA Club Footballer of the Year.
Ancelotti similarly was also struck by Brighi’s talents and even admitted his qualities were akin to his own as a player.
La Repubblica quoted him saying: “In some ways he resembles me, he’s a simple, straightforward player. He should just be less shy.”
That last piece of advice from Ancelotti proved to be a warning in hindsight, as it proved to be a theme of Brighi’s career.
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Brighi has cemented his name in internet folkloreCredit: EA Sports
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But soon he was watching younger stars reach levels he never quite hitCredit: Getty
Carlo Ancelotti signings at Juventus
David Trezeguet
Enzo Maresca
Edwin van der Sar
Gianluca Zambrotta
Matteo Brighi
Brighi did little to quell the doubts over his timid nature after expressing his doubts that he would be able to make the grade.
He said: “It’s early to make judgments, I don’t even know if I’m able to stay at these levels. I’m here to learn, in a couple of months we will decide if I can stay in the first team.”
Juventus already had Zinedine Zidane, Antonio Conte and Edgar Davids as midfield options at the time of Brighi’s arrival in Turin.
At age 19, he featured just 12 times during the 2000-01 campaign and was largely kept out of the spotlight by Ancelotti.
Brighi was loaned out to Bologna the following year which is where he showed the form that made EA Sports sit up and take notice.
He made 32 outings as Rossoblu finished an impressive seventh, where he was rewarded with a spot alongside Andrea Pirlo in midfield as Italy’s Under-21s reached the semi-finals of the European Championships.
Three months later that same summer Brighi was handed his senior international debut and by then, EA had seen enough.
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Brighi played against Chelsea in the Champions League for RomaCredit: Getty
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He also battled former England captain David Beckham in Serie ACredit: AFP
Juventus weren’t convinced that his future was at the Stadio delle Alpi and he was farmed out to Parma and then Brescia.
Brighi eventually joined Roma in 2004 in a package deal that saw Juventus land Emerson but he had to wait three years for his debut.
The former starlet spent three years on loan with Chievo Verona before finally wearing Giallorossi colours upon his return in 2007.
During this time, EA Sports had dropped his overall rating in FIFA 05 to 81, but still with a potential of 98 in case things started to click.
But a year later he was relegated to a 79 rating – a hefty 18 ratings lower than his 97 peak – and his rapid downward progression had led to a video-game revamp in how the Canadian publishers scored footballers each season.
The end of Brighi’s transfer merry-go-round did at least allow him to spark a brief career revival at Roma.
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Brighi struggled under the weight of expectationsCredit: AFP
He ended his exile from the Italy national team, with legendary Azzurri manager Marcello Lippi bemoaning the enormous expectation he was put under in curtailing his rise.
“From the human point of view he is a splendid boy, and from the technical point of view he is one of those diligent midfielders that every trainer would want to have,” Lippi said.
“To my warning, at the beginning of his career, he was praised so excessively that too many expectations were created around him.”
In total, Brighi made 142 appearances for Roma – the most for any one club – before becoming a journeyman for his remaining playing days.
He was linked with transfers to Fulham and Celtic, but instead turned out for Atalanta, Torino, Sassuolo, Perugia and Empoli, before quietly hanging up his boots with the latter in 2019.
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Brighi’s final card was 70-rated on FIFA 19Credit: Getty
“I’m not the type for announcements and goodbyes,” the four-cap Italy international told Roma’s club website the following year.
“I’ve started a new journey which is still in football and that suits me.”
Brighi oversees his own football academy back in Rimini, where he has the chance to nurture the next big thing coming through.
It seems he has his own views on why he never hit the heights expected of him, telling Sky Italia in 2013: “I like to work, not talk.
“Other players talk and sell themselves, certainly better than I do. I don’t blame them for it. It’s just not me.”
Teams from all over the world often use release clauses in football to protect their star players from other clubs in the transfer market.
Of course, not every side can afford to include extremely high exit clauses, so it’s often only the biggest teams that insert these into their players’ contracts.
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Jude Bellingham has a massive exit clause inserted into his contractCredit: Getty
Release clauses are also required in Spain, with LaLiga rules stating that they have to be in all contracts.
As such, Barcelona and Real Madrid players often have the highest release clauses in world football because they are two of the world’s biggest and richest clubs.
Jude Bellingham joined Los Blancos in the summer of 2023 from Borussia Dortmund and has a 1 billion euro break clause in his contract at the Bernabeu.
This works out at a staggering £871million, and there are plenty of other Barcelona and Real Madrid players with similar clauses.
Barcelona quartet Pedri, Gavi, Ronald Araujo and Ferran Torres all also have similar clauses to Bellingham. Ansu Fati, who spent some time on loan at Brighton, also has a 1 billion euro exit clause.
In the Premier League, Kevin De Bruyne’s £213m release clause is the highest.
Erling Haaland also has a clause that is believed to be 200m euros, working out at around £175m, which City are trying to take out before one of Spain’s big two swoop.
As a result, no Premier League players make the top ten.
The highest release clauses in football
Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid – €1bn (£871m/$1.08bn)
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Bellingham’s time at Real Madrid has seen him crowned champion of Europe alreadyCredit: Getty
Since signing for Real, Bellingham has established himself as a fans-favourite at the Bernabeu thanks to several top displays.
The England international is already in the conversation as the world’s best player at this moment in time, and though it’s early days, he has no intention of leaving Spain anytime soon.
When asked about his future, he said: “This is the club I want to be at for the next 10 to 15 years of my life. I am loving it there.”
And the good news for Los Blancos fans is that no one is going to be able to afford his ludicrous release clause, so unless they decide to sell for less, he isn’t going anywhere.
But after winning the LaLiga and Champions League double in his first season, it’s hard to see why he would be joining another team anytime soon.
Ansu Fati – Barcelona – €1bn (£871m/$1.08bn)
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Fati had a loan spell with BrightonCredit: Getty
In 2021, Fati signed a new deal with Barcelona after he burst onto the scene and looked to be the heir to Messi.
He hasn’t progressed as much as some expected and spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Brighton.
However, the Spanish international is still a sensational player and will almost certainly enjoy an excellent career, even if he doesn’t reach those unrealistic expectations.
But if he ever does, Barcelona are protected in the transfer market due to his incredible break clause.
Pedri – Barcelona – €1bn (£871m/$1.08bn)
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In Pedri, Barcelona believe they have the next Andreas IniestaCredit: Getty
Pedri is one of two young Barcelona midfielders who the club believe can emulate Xavi and Andreas Iniesta.
The Spanish duo were the bedrock of one of the greatest club sides we have ever seen, and Xavi helped bring Pedri through as Barcelona manager before departing the club.
He believes that Pedri is already at the level of his former teammate, which explains why he also has a 1 billion euro release clause.
And he’s going to new heights under Hansi Flick.
Ronald Araujo – Barcelona – €1bn (£871m/$1.08bn)
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Araujo is the ideal modern-day centre-backCredit: Getty
Unlike some of these other Barcelona players, Araujo isn’t from La Masia and was signed in 2018 from Uruguay.
The 25-year-old has risen through the ranks to become one of their most important players.
He can play at centre-back or at right-back and possesses pace, strength and calmness on the ball.
His deal expires in 2026, but before that, any team wanting to sign him will have to obliterate the world transfer record.
Gavi – Barcelona – €1bn (£871m/$1.08bn)
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Gavi is another extremely talented young Barcelona playerCredit: Getty
The other half of Barcelona’s new Spanish midfield duo is Gavi.
He is another Spanish international and someone who Barcelona hope to build their team around.
Gavi likes to play between the lines and looks to combine with the other players on his side to fashion chances for others.
He’s already a sublime footballer, so it’s no wonder the LaLiga giants whacked in a huge release clause.
He’s just returning from an ACL injury, but hopes are still very high for this wonderful midfielder.
Ferran Torres – Barcelona – €1bn (£871m/$1.08bn)
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Torres is yet to fully prove his worth to BarcelonaCredit: Getty
The final Barcelona player on this list might surprise some, but former Man City forward Ferran Torres does have a 1 billion euro release clause in his deal.
He joined the Spanish side in 2021 from City in a deal worth up to 65million euros.
But he’s yet to really show his true talent and has often been used as a substitute rather than as a regular starter.
However, Torres is still young and has plenty of time to show why Barcelona signed him in the first place.
Vinicius Junior – Real Madrid – €1bn (£871m/$1.08bn)
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Vinicius Jr has the potential to be the world’s best wingerCredit: Getty
Vinicius Jr is arguably the most exciting player on this list, along with Bellingham.
The Brazilian winger is one of the most direct players in the world and has added finishing and end product to his crazy dribbling ability.
Vinicius Jr played a huge role in the 2021/22 Champions League win, scoring the winner against Liverpool.
He just missed out on the 2024 Ballon d’Or to Rodri and is determined to put that right in 2025.
He became a member of the 1 billion euros club in 2023 and will likely stay at Real Madrid for the majority of his career.
Eduardo Camavinga – Real Madrid – €1bn (£871m/$1.08bn)
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Camavinga’s new deal expires in 2029Credit: Getty
There aren’t too many players in world football who can play two positions as well as Camavinga.
The Frenchman joined Real Madrid as a midfielder and always looks brilliant when he plays there.
However, due to the club’s sheer amount of options, he also plays at left-back.
Given he’s so young, you would think this might be a challenge, but it looks as if he’s played there his whole life.
Camavinga is already an important player for France and could go on to make countless appearances for Real Madrid.
Rodrygo – Real Madrid – €1bn (£871m/$1.08bn)
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Rodrygo’s place in the starting XI has been sacrificed for MbappeCredit: Getty
Rodrygo became the latest Real Madrid player to join the 1 billion Euro club in November 2023.
The LaLiga giants extended the Brazilian’s contract to 2028.
Rodrygo formed a key part of Real Madrid’s lethal attack during the 2023/24 campaign as they won the Champions League and Spanish top-flight.
However, with the arrival of Kylian Mbappe, his minutes have somewhat reduced.
Jules Kounde – Barcelona – €1bn (£871m/$1.08bn)
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Every Barcelona manager finds a way to get Kounde into the teamCredit: Getty
The final member of the 1 billion Euro club is Jules Kounde.
The French defender joined Barcelona in the summer of 2022 from Sevilla and was handed this break clause.
He can play at centre-back or right-back and is a key player for the club.
Cristiano Ronaldo is famously the one player Roy Keane wouldn’t criticise – except for when he was his teammate.
The pair played together at Manchester United between 2003 and 2006, winning an FA Cup together in a star-studded team.
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Ronaldo and Keane weren’t always best mates on the pitchCredit: Getty
That three year run wasn’t the most trophy-laden, given what happened before and after it under Alex Ferguson, and on one particular occasion Keane took his frustration out on the Portuguese youngster.
In a match against Southampton in 2003, a Paul Scholes shot was parried to Ronaldo all alone in the box, and all he had to do was pick a corner.
However, he went for a showboating-style dink, and the ball went over the bar, with Ronaldo collapsing to the floor in embarrassment.
read more on cristiano ronaldo
Keane, at his terrifying best, could then be seen shouting back at his teammate: “Put it in the f***ing net you f***ing w*****. F***ing p****!”
Ronaldo would later respond perfectly by scoring a game-ending third in a 3-0 victory to secure the points, but was clearly still in shock about his dressing down, with Rio Ferdinand telling him to smile after learning a valuable lesson.
Keane would depart Old Trafford as a club legend, and with the showboating out the window, Ronaldo would score a massive 42 goals in the 2007/08 season to claim his first Champions League and Ballon d’Or.
Leaving the club himself in 2009 in a then-world record £88million transfer to Real Madrid, United fans watched on as Ronaldo became a footballing great and the highest-scorer the game’s ever seen.
Dreaming of one day having him back, they finally got their wish in 2021 when he re-signed from Juventus and much like the supporters, Keane was buzzing.
Ronaldo started with a bang, scoring twice against Newcastle on his second debut, and adding a number of dramatic goals to keep United in the Champions League.
Despite some glorious moments, things were quickly going wrong. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was on the brink and eventually left in November, while his replacements, Ralf Rangnick and Erik ten Hag fell out with the superstar striker.
Ronaldo took on both them and the club, and when the media gradually turned on him things got very awkward.
Gary Neville in particular experienced that when Ronaldo made a point of blanking him before a match against West Ham in October 2022, greeting Louis Saha and even Jamie Redknapp before ignoring Neville.
Querying the incident behind the scenes later on, Neville commented: “It tells us something, it means he’s watched us. I think if I had five million followers on Instagram I wouldn’t give a f*** about Gary Neville.”
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Ronaldo ignored Neville in some cringeworthy scenesCredit: Sky
Keane, though, kept quiet throughout, having clearly gained so much respect for the Ronaldo in the following years since his 2003 outburst.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale agreed to join Manchester United in the same transfer window, but the club refused to sanction the moves.
This claim has been made by Patrice Evra, who said Sir Alex Ferguson told him that Ronaldo’s move to the club was nearly 100 per cent agreed just before the legendary Man United manager retired in 2013.
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Evra was a teammate of Ronaldo’s during the latter’s first Old Trafford spellCredit: Getty – Contributor
Evra also claimed that former Tottenham and Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale was on his way to Old Trafford too, and that Ferguson was planning on staying at the club for a further TEN years.
Speaking on The Obi One Podcast with former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, he discussed what it was like when the Scotsman eventually left the Red Devils.
“One of the most saddest days, I didn’t cry, I was in shock,” Evra said.
“The reason why is because two weeks before, he brought me into his office [and said], ‘Patrice look at those people, they think I’m going to retire, I’m going to be [at the club for] another ten years, but we need to win more Champions Leagues.
“He [Ferguson] said, ‘Patrice, Cristiano Ronaldo agreed 99 per cent to come back and Gareth Bale [too].”
Ronaldo signed for Real Madrid from Man United in the summer of 2009 for a then world record fee of £80million.
He ended his first season with the Spanish giants trophyless, before going on to score 60 goals across all competitions the following season, which contributed to Madrid’s first La Liga title in four years.
“He needed £200million and the club refused to give him those £200million,” Evra added.
“And now, they spent a billion on whatever… it was 2013, just before he retired, so that [is] why I remember when I got out of his office, I was like, ‘Cristiano is back, Gareth Bale, we’re back in business’ after winning the title and everything.”
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Sir Alex coached Ronaldo at United before a world-record transfer to Real MadridCredit: Getty – Contributor
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Bale did leave Spurs, but went off to Madrid with Ronaldo in the summer of 2013
Last year, Swiss-based research institute CIES Football Observatory claimed Man United had spent around £1.67bn on new players since 2014, while only recouping £481m from sales.
Evra’s former teammate, Paul Pogba, remains United’s most expensive signing to date.
He surpassed Ronaldo’s world record fee when he joined the Manchester club from Juventus in 2016 for £89 million.
Patrice Evra on how Sir Alex Ferguson gave him pressure to stop Lionel Messi in the 2008 Champions League game
Bale did leave Spurs but joined Real Madrid in an £85 million deal. He went on to lift four Champions League trophies with Madrid, scoring more than 100 goals.
Bukayo Saka thought he was out there on his own for assists in consecutive Premier League games, only for it to be taken away.
He turned up when it really mattered with a key contribution to a decisive Arsenal goal as they left it late to beat Leicester 4-2.
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Saka thought he’d assisted Trossard for Arsenal’s thirdCredit: Getty
In all of Arsenal’s previous Premier League games this term, the 23-year-old England star had made one assist.
Those came against Wolves, Aston Villa, Brighton, Tottenham, last weekend against Man City, and he thought he’d done it against Leicester..
Saka swung in a late corner from the right when the teams were locked at 2-2, with Leandro Trossard finding the net via a deflection.
At the time, Saka thought he’d made six straight assists and become the first Premier League player to do so in the first six games of the season.
However, that honour was retrospectively taken away from him as Trossard’s shot was diverted into goal by Wilfried Ndidi, and it’s gone down as an own goal by the Nigeria midfielder.
Arsenal had been leading 2-0 before the Foxes mounted a second-half comeback to draw level.
Trossard and Kai Havertz struck late at the Emirates Stadium to snatch all three points.
It’s no shame to just miss out on the accolade, some of the exceptional players who have graced the English top-flight haven’t managed it either.
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Saka didn’t quite get the record, but he’s been electric so far this seasonCredit: Getty
Not even Manchester United hero Ryan Giggs – the Premier League’s leading assist maker (162) managed to do so.
Even Cristiano Ronaldo was unable to impress from the wing in his early Man United days.
Arsenal legend Robert Pires believes that Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku is a better player than Gunners star Bukayo Saka
Thierry Henry set the record of five in 2004/05 when the Gunners were on a rampant run.
At the tail end of their famous 49-game unbeaten run, Henry got assists in wins over Everton, Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Norwich, and Fulham.
However, he was unable to create a goal in a 2-2 draw at home against Bolton Wanderers, although he did score the opening strike of the game.
Saka created another goal for one of his teammates against Leicester, and he surpassed one of his idols.
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Saka’s put in a good shift against Leicester
In 2020, he said: “He’s a hero to me for what he’s done for my club, what he’s done in football.
“I loved his personality, I loved the way he played, the goals he scored. He’s just an amazing person – he was amazing at football but he’s an amazing person too and that’s probably why he inspires me.”
Cristiano Ronaldo was left visibly impressed when his new Al Nassr teammate Angelo scored his first goal for the club in a 2-0 win over Al Wehda.
The winger joined the Saudi Pro League giants in the summer in a reported £19.1million move from Chelsea.
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Angelo chipped the goalkeeper to score his first Al Nassr goalCredit: @mydy1286628 X
Angelo didn’t make a single senior appearance for the Blues, but now has four to his name with Al Nassr.
He started alongside Ronaldo for their clash against Al Wehda on Friday and netted his first goal with an excellent finish.
The 19-year-old ran down the right and chipped the ball from just inside the area and over goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Owaishir.
READ MORE ON CRISTIANO RONALDO
Just as he wheeled away in celebration, legendary footballer Ronaldo could be seen clapping the goal that gave them a 1-0 lead.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was then quick to congratulate with the youngster over his incredible effort.
Angelo’s start on Friday evening was his third for Al Nassr and saw him play next to other stars such as Sadio Mane and Aymeric Laporte.
The Brazilian youngster signed for Chelsea from Santo last summer in a reported £12.95million deal.
He was sent on loan to Ligue 1 side Strasbourg for the 2023/24 season and made 25 appearances in all competitions, assisting four goals.
Angelo missed the last two months of the campaign due to injury and returned to parent club Chelsea, who sold him in September.
His move to Al Nassr is so far proving fruitful, with appearances also coming in the AFC Champions League and King’s Cup.
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Ronaldo was seen applauding his teammate for the quality finishCredit: @mydy1286628 X
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Angelo celebrated with Ronaldo after scoring the openerCredit: AFP
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He played for Chelsea in pre-season but didn’t make a competitive appearanceCredit: Getty
Ronaldo doubled Al Nassr’s lead 11 minutes into the second-half with a penalty, his sixth goal of the season in seven appearances.
It was the ex-Manchester United’s forward’s 70th goal in Al Nassr colours.
Since linking up with the Saudi side, he has featured in 77 games in all competitions, where he has shown he has not lost any of his attacking qualities.
Incredibly, he is now just 97 goals shy of reaching the landmark of 1,000 career goals.
His target for this season will be to finally end the season as a Saudi Pro League champion.
Following the victory over Al Wehda, Al Nassr sit second in the table after five matches – one point behind reigning champions Al Hilal.
Even Cristiano Ronaldo was unable to impress like Saka from the wing in his early Man United days.
Henry set the record in 2004/05 when the Gunners were on a rampant run.
Arsenal legend Robert Pires believes that Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku is a better player than Gunners star Bukayo Saka
At the tail end of their famous 49-game unbeaten run, Henry got assists in wins over Everton, Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Norwich, and Fulham.
However, he was unable to create a goal in a 2-2 draw at home against Bolton Wanderers, although he did score the opening strike of the game.
If Saka managed to create for one of his teammates against Leicester, though, he’ll surpass one of his idols.
In 2020, he said: “He’s a hero to me for what he’s done for my club, what he’s done in football.
“I loved his personality, I loved the way he played, the goals he scored. He’s just an amazing person – he was amazing at football but he’s an amazing person too and that’s probably why he inspires me.”
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