Eden Hazard ‘fed up’ after development at Chelsea and desperate for Real Madrid transfer

Chelsea star Eden Hazard is reportedly ‘fed up’ at the club and desperate for a transfer to Real Madrid.

While speculation surrounding the Belgian’s future has been going on for some time now, these updates will get more and more worrying for Blues supporters as their star player gets closer to the end of his contract.

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Hazard’s current Chelsea deal expires at the end of next season and it doesn’t appear that much progress has been made on tying him down to a new one.

One report earlier today from Don Balon claimed Chelsea were ‘not in the business’ of renewing Hazard’s contract, and now there looks to be more bad news from sources in Spain.

According to Diario Gol, the 27-year-old is ‘fed up’ at the club, and it’s suggested that may be in part due to the new contract and big pay rise given to his team-mate N’Golo Kante, making him the west Londoners’ highest earner.

Eden Hazard in action for Chelsea

Talks held: Arsenal and Chelsea given update on potential Barcelona transfer raid

Arsenal and Chelsea may reportedly struggle to seal the transfer of Barcelona midfielder Denis Suarez despite his lack of playing time at the Nou Camp.

The 24-year-old seems set to stay at the club for the time being, with a January move seemingly ruled out, though something may be more likely by next summer, according to ESPN.

MORE: (Photo) Arsenal boss Unai Emery shares adorable childhood snap with an important message

The report also mentions enquiries coming in from several European teams as Suarez seems out of favour with Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde.

Once regarded as a top prospect at Barca, it seems Suarez’s time is now running out and a move away may be the best thing for his career.

The Spain international would surely find it easier to play more often at Arsenal or Chelsea, who have had some issues in midfield in recent times.

Arsenal chief in Italy tonight as club ready to sanction €50m star’s transfer to Gunners

Arsenal scouts are in Italy tonight for the game between Roma and Inter Milan as they eye up the transfer of Cengiz Under.

The 21-year-old looks a seriously impressive young talent and could be a useful signing for Arsenal right now to improve their attacking midfield options.

MORE: Tottenham fan arrested after disgusting racist gesture at Arsenal star inside the Emirates today

With Danny Welbeck’s injury a bad one and Alex Iwobi lacking consistency and end product, Under could be a hugely useful option for Unai Emery in the second half of the season.

Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Nicolo Schira has tweeted about Arsenal’s interest, stating a scout will watch him play tonight and adding that Roma chief Monchi would be ready to sell the Turkey international for around €50million.

That shouldn’t be out of Arsenal’s price range, and could set them up for years to come if Under ends up fulfilling his obvious potential.

British Open predictions: 10 contenders to watch at Royal Birkdale

SOUTHPORT, England — A capsule look at 10 top contenders for the Open Championship, to be played July 20-23 at Royal Birkdale (listed in predicted order of finish):

Dustin Johnson

Age: 33.

Country: United States.

World Ranking: 1.

Worldwide Victories: 15.

Majors: US Open (2016).

2017 Majors: Masters-DNP, US Open-Cut.

Open Championship Memory: The 2-iron he hit out-of-bounds on the 14th at Royal St. George's as he was closing in on Darren Clarke in 2011.

Backspin: Johnson lost a lot of momentum with that slip down the stairs that knocked him out of the Masters. He hasn't played the weekend of a major since the Open Championship last year (two missed cuts and a withdrawal). He hasn't played since missing the cut at the U.S. Open, but there is a sense of determination to not let the year go by without having a chance. Royal Birkdale is a big golf course.

Sergio Garcia

Age: 37.

Country: Spain.

World Ranking: 5.

Worldwide Victories: 26.

Majors: Masters (2017).

2017 Majors: Masters-Won, US Open-T21.

Open Championship Memory: Complaining that he was playing against "more than the field" when he lost in a playoff to Padraig Harrington at Carnoustie in 2007.

Backspin: The Masters champion has a lot on his plate. He is getting married in Texas right after the Open, and then has another major right behind it. Then again, lowered expectations seem to work out pretty well for Garcia, and links golf is a passion. Garcia has more top 10s in the Open than any other major. The last player to win his first major at the Masters later in his career was Mark O'Meara, who then won the claret jug at Royal Birkdale.

Jordan Spieth

Age: 23.

Country: Unites States.

World Ranking: 3.

Worldwide Victories: 13.

Majors: Masters (2015), US Open (2015).

2017 Majors: Masters-T11, US Open-T35.

Open Championship Memory: Rolling in a 50-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole at St. Andrews to tie for the lead with two holes to play in his bid for the Grand Slam. He made bogey on the next hole and finished one out of a playoff.

Backspin: Winning for the second time this year is sure to wonders for his confidence. The sample size remains small on his performance in links golf. He missed the playoff at St. Andrews by one shot in 2015 when he was riding high. He hasn't contended his other three times at Muirfield, Hoylake and Troon.

Rory McIlroy

Age: 28.

Country: Northern Ireland.

World Ranking: 4.

Worldwide Victories: 21.

Majors: US Open (2011), The Open Championship (2014), PGA Championship (2012, 2014).

2017 Majors: Masters-T7, US Open-Cut.

Open Championship Memory: The 5-iron into the 18th at Royal Liverpool during his 2014 victory, the epitome of a player in full control of his game.

Backspin: McIlroy keeps waiting to hit his stride, and instead he hit a bump in the road by missing the cut at the Irish Open. He says his rib injury is not an issue, and his game is capable of turning at a moment's notice. Most startling is that McIlroy hasn't seriously contended in a major since he won his last won at the 2014 PGA Championship.

Phil Mickelson

Age: 47.

Country: United States.

World Ranking: 25.

Worldwide Victories: 45.

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Majors: Masters (2004, 2006, 2010), The Open Championship (2013), PGA Championship (2005).

2017 Majors: Masters-T22, US Open-DNP.

Open Championship Memory: His 65 in the final round at Muirfield in 2013 to capture the third leg of the career Grand Slam.

Backspin: This is the first time since 2006 that Mickelson hasn't played the week before the Open. And it will be his first major without his regular caddie, Jim Mackay, working for him. More troubling is that Lefty has gone four years without winning, the longest drought of his career. This will be his fourth time playing Royal Birkdale, though he has not played it particularly well.

RELATED: The Open Championship 2017: Purse size, tournament FAQs

Brooks Koepka

Age: 27.

Country: United States.

World Ranking: 11.

Worldwide Victories: 3.

Majors: US Open (2017).

2017 Majors: Masters-T11, US Open-Won.

Open Championship Memory: Refusing to play in wind so strong at St. Andrews in 2015 that his ball wouldn't stay still on the 11th green. Play was suspended.

Backspin: The last player to win the U.S. Open and Open Championship in the same year was Tiger Woods in 2000, and before that it was Tom Watson in 1982. Koepka has not competed since winning at the U.S. Open. This will be a tighter test than Erin Hills.

Henrik Stenson

Age: 41.

Country: Sweden.

World Ranking: 7.

Worldwide Victories: 18.

Majors: The Open Championship (2016).

2017 Majors: Masters-Cut, US Open-Cut.

Open Championship Memory: The 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole at Royal Troon, capping off his masterpiece with a 63 to win with the lowest score in major history.

Backspin: Stenson runs in streaks, and he's on the wrong end of one going into his title defense. He hasn't won since his record performance last year at Royal Troon, and he missed the cut in both majors this year. That doesn't bode well for his chances of being the first player to keep the claret jug since Tiger Woods in 2006.

Jason Day

Age: 29.

Country: Australia.

World Ranking: 6.

Worldwide Victories: 12.

Majors: PGA Championship (2015).

2017 Majors: Masters-T22, US Open-Cut.

Open Championship Memory: Leaving a 30-foot birdie putt short on the 18th green at St. Andrews in 2015 that would have put him in a playoff.

Backspin: Day was hopeful of keeping the No. 1 ranking for the entire calendar year, and now he is No. 6. Whether it was the distraction of his mother's health or a loss of confidence, he is close to becoming an afterthought at the biggest events this year. Day's only chance of winning this year was a playoff loss at the Byron Nelson.

Hideki Matsuyama

Age: 25.

Country: Japan.

World Ranking: 2.

Worldwide Victories: 13.

Majors: None.

2017 Majors: Masters-T11, US Open-T2.

Open Championship Memory: Tying for 6th in his Open Championship debut in 2013 at Muirfield.

Backspin: Since missing the cut at Royal Troon last year, Matsuyama has finished no worse than a tie for 11th in the majors. Then again, he hasn't seriously challenged in them. That will be the test. He goes into this major at No. 2 in the world, which is sure to only add to the expectations from his country to become the first Japanese player to win a major.

Jon Rahm

Age: 22.

Country: Spain.

World Ranking: 8.

Worldwide Victories: 2.

Majors: None.

2017 Majors: Masters-T27, US Open-Cut.

Open Championship Memory: Qualifying in his first start as a pro with a tie for third in the Quicken Loans National.

Backspin: Coming off a six-shot victory in the Irish Open, the excitement over the Spaniard is sure to ramp up again, just as it did going into the Masters. Royal Birkdale was kind to another young Spaniard in 1976 when 19-year-old Seve Ballesteros was runner-up to Johnny Miller. Not many outside Europe knew about Ballesteros back then. Everyone in golf is well aware of Rahm.

This article was written by Doug Ferguson from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

 

Man Utd star wants out of Old Trafford after latest setback under Jose Mourinho

It’s been a far from ideal spell at Man Utd thus far for Alexis Sanchez, and reports claim that the Chilean forward is eager to secure an exit from the club.

The 29-year-old joined the Red Devils from Arsenal in a swap deal in January, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan heading in the opposite direction to sign for the Gunners.

SEE MORE: “Such a fraud” – Gloating Manchester United fans finally find something to celebrate after Liverpool defeat to PSG

Although his quality in the final third coupled with his work ethic and determination seemed to be a perfect fit for Jose Mourinho, it hasn’t worked out as planned.

Sanchez has managed just four goals in 30 appearances for Man Utd, and given the reported wages that he earns, with the Express suggesting that he makes a staggering £500,000 a week, that’s clearly not the level of return that the club were hoping for.

Now, according to The Mirror, the Chilean international wants to quit Old Trafford after being snubbed by Mourinho against Young Boys in the Champions League this week, as he didn’t even make the match-day squad despite it being confirmed later on that he wasn’t injured.

It’s added that Paris Saint-Germain is his preferred destination, but given that they have a world-class attacking trident in place already with Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani, it’s difficult to see how Sanchez fits in there.

With that in mind, coupled with the fact that United will surely remain desperate to see their heavy investment and faith repaid, it’s difficult to see an exit materialising in January as perhaps they’ll give Sanchez until the end of the season to prove his worth.

However, should his struggles continue, it could then be the right time to admit defeat and cut their losses, especially if as the report suggests, he’s eager to move on himself.

Wyndham Championship is the last chance for PGA Tour players to make it into the playoffs

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — It's last-chance time on the PGA Tour.

The field at the Wyndham Championship is once again littered with players trying to earn their way into golf's postseason or earn full exemption on the tour for 2018.

When the tournament began Thursday at par-70 Sedgefield Country Club, the focus – as it is every year – will be on those players on the bubble and those trying to improve their position for the playoffs.

"It's a great opportunity to put myself in a better spot heading into next week's playoffs," Henrik Stenson said Wednesday.

Stenson, who won the FedEx Cup in 2013, arrived at Sedgefield with security for next week at No. 75 on the points list.

Others have some work to do.

RELATED: Wyndham Championship Leaderboard | Watch PGA Tour Live 

The top 125 on the points list qualify for The Northern Trust next week in Old Westbury, New York, and also will be fully exempt on the tour next year, if they aren't already.

Every player from No. 113 (Harris English) to No. 143 (Ricky Barnes) is in the Wyndham field. Among those directly on the bubble are No. 124 Daniel Summerhays, No. 125 Geoff Ogilvy and No. 126 Cameron Tringale.

"I guess that would consider me one of those bubble boys now," said Sam Saunders, the grandson of Arnold Palmer who's at No. 127.

Two players – Kyle Stanley and Shawn Stefani – cracked the top 125 here last year, and five did it in 2015.

"I need to play solid this week, but you know, my goal is not just to get into the FedEx Cup playoffs," he added. "My goal is to try and win a golf tournament this week. If I don't, and have a solid finish, that will take care of it as a byproduct. Can't get too hung up on trying to move up a couple spots. But obviously, that is of the utmost importance this week."

Some things to know about the PGA Tour's final regular-season tournament:

– FORMER CHAMPS: Only two of the past five winners of this tournament – Davis Love III (2015) and Camilo Villegas (2014) – are in this year's field. Si Woo Kim, who tied the event's 72-hole record with a 21-under 259 last year , is not here. In all, six of the eight players to win at Sedgefield since the tournament moved here in 2008 are playing, including local favorites Carl Pettersson (2008) and Webb Simpson (2011). Love, Simpson and Ryan Moore (2009) were placed in one threesome.

– FAVORITE? The only player here ranked in the top 15 on the points list is No. 9 Kevin Kisner, who led or shared the lead after each of the first three rounds of last week's PGA Championship in Charlotte before finishing in a tie for seventh place , four strokes behind winner Justin Thomas .

– PALMER'S WALL: This is the first Wyndham Championship without Palmer, who had five top-10 finishes in 13 appearances at what was then called the Greater Greensboro Open. A plaque commemorating Palmer's life and career was unveiled on the course's Wall of Champions behind the green at No. 9. Palmer, who died in September, also played college golf at nearby Wake Forest.

"The fact that I get to come and play a PGA Tour event where he competed and played is really special," Saunders said, "and really glad that he'll have a permanent mark here."

– LOTS OF LOVE: Davis isn't the only Love on the course this week. His son Dru, a former Alabama player in his first year on the tour, received a sponsor's exemption.

This article was written by Joedy McCreary from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

 

Messi lists fours signings for Barcelona to complete in 2019 and urges the club to choose between Premier League duo

Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi has encouraged the club to bring in four new players next year, to ensure they have enough firepower to conquer Europe.

According to Don Balon, the Blaugrana captain has submitted a list of transfer targets to club officials, with a view to improving the starting XI from top to bottom.

The first name on the list is Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt, who has become a major target for a number of high profile clubs in recent months for his displays in the Eredivisie and in the Champions League. At 19-years-old he is already a top class centre-back and could help to significantly shore up Ernesto Valverde’s shaky defensive line.

Second is AS Monaco right-back Djibril Sidibe, who Messi sees as the ideal replacement for Sergi Roberto, who has struggled to cope with the expectation that comes with being a first choice fullback at the Camp Nou.

Don Balon reports that Messi has also urged the club to make a choice between Premier League duo Mohamed Salah and Eden Hazard, who play for Liverpool and Chelsea respectively.

Both men have been in red-hot form in England this season and the Argentine maestro would like to see one of them fill the boots of Ousmane Dembele in attack for Barca, who continues to underwhelm on the wing.

Messi’s final pick is Genoa centre-forward Krzysztof Piatek – the man who has set Serie A alight with his blistering start to the 2018-19 campaign, scoring nine goals in 12 matches and proving himself as a deadly marksman in his debut season in Italy.

Valverde’s men are among the favourites to win the Champions League come May, but the general consensus is that they must stop conceding so many goals and certain members of the squad still need to step up to the plate.

Messi has recognised the team’s weaknesses and already made a pre-emptive strike ahead of the January transfer window, with a huge second half of the year for the club on the horizon.

Maurizio Sarri personally contacts Ligue 1 star over sealing Chelsea transfer

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has reportedly made contact with Lyon star Nabil Fekir by phone about a potential transfer to Stamford Bridge.

The France international is one of the finest attacking midfield players in Europe at the moment and it seems Sarri is so desperate to land him he’s approached him personally about a possible move.

Nabil Fekir is a reported transfer target for Chelsea

That’s according to Spanish publication El Gol Digital, as translated by the Daily Express, and it follows other recent speculation that the Blues are after Fekir.

The 25-year-old was linked with CFC by L’Equipe recently, and it seems things could be moving along quickly in terms of the club’s efforts to lure the player to west London.

Fekir seems an ideal signing for Chelsea due to his ability to play either in attacking midfield or up front, meaning he could be a necessary upgrade for under-performing players like Willian or Alvaro Morata.

That would undoubtedly give Sarri a big boost for the second half of this season as his Chelsea side have started brightly this term, but seem to lack enough goals to really go the distance in the title race.

Liverpool WAG Rebeca Tavares responds to Fabinho PSG transfer rumours

Liverpool star Fabinho’s wife Rebeca Tavares has appeared to shut down any talk of her husband potentially making a transfer to Paris Saint-Germain.

The Brazilian midfielder hasn’t got off the most convincing start at Anfield since his summer switch from Monaco and there’s been some talk of a possible move back to Ligue 1 as early as this January.

MORE: Video: Real Madrid star given embarrassing punishment for disrespecting manager amid Arsenal & Liverpool transfer links

L’Equipe recently stated PSG were interested in Fabinho, claiming there could even be talks held between the two clubs when they meet in the Champions League this evening.

The Reds travel to the Parc des Princes for their big game tonight, and that could be an opportunity for talks if the player himself is indeed keen, or if the club feel they may be regretting signing him.

However, Fabinho’s missus seems to be having none of it, taking to Twitter to slam all the ‘fake news’ she’s seeing on her timeline.

Of course, she might be talking about something else, but the timing of this tweet and the way Tavares seems to have really relished the move to Liverpool since they moved in the summer suggests it’s a hit back at the transfer gossip.

Arsenal contact CL giants over transfer of ideal Aaron Ramsey replacement

Arsenal may have found their ideal replacement for midfielder Aaron Ramsey, whose contract expires in the summer, the Gunners will have to lure the midfielder away from these Champions League giants.

According to Spanish outlet Don Balon, the Gunners amongst a host of other clubs across Europe – have contacted Real Madrid over the possibility of signing midfielder Dani Ceballos.

Ceballos has found a new lease of life under new Madrid boss Santiago Solari, the youngster had found first-team opportunities hard to come by under Solari’s predecessors; Julen Lopetegui and Zinedine Zidane.

Solari has experimented with Ceballos since taking over, bringing in the Spaniard to cover Casemiro – who is currently sidelined with an injury.

Ceballos has looked impressive when used by Solari in a deeper midfield role. The youngster will have the chance to continue to impress Madrid fans, with Casemiro still sidelined.

 

Given Ceballos’ versatility in central-midfield there’s no doubt that the Spaniard could be the perfect replacement for Aaron Ramsey.

Madrid signed Ceballos from Real Betis in the summer of 2017 for a fee reported to be £14.5m according to the MailOnline, with the midfielder becoming an overnight sensation, Los Blancos could command a significant fee from Arsenal for his signature.

Ceballos has also looked very impressive for Spain in the inaugral UEFA Nations League campaign, the 22-year-old has such a high ceiling and the Emirates could be the perfect place for the midfielder to fulfil his potential.