THE Ballon d'Or has finally arrived as Lionel Messi seeks an unprecedented seventh gong.
And speculation in Spain suggests he has already got it, ahead of the man who would probably have won the cancelled 2020 award – Robert Lewandowski.
Great rival Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, will not be attending the ceremony.
And France Football have announced that two extra awards will be handed out at tonight's ceremony – Club of the Year and Striker of the Year.
The winner of the award will be confirmed at around 9pm UK time tonight.
The full ceremony will be televised on Eurosport, while L'Equipe's YouTube channel will be offering a free live stream.
Get all the latest football news, updates and transfer gossip below…
- Anthony Chapman
COUNTDOWN BEGINS
The 2021 Ballon d’Or reveal list has already kicked off, with numerous Premier League players involved.
Here are the stars who have already been announced…
- Joint-29th: Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea) & Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
- Joint-26th: Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan), Ruben Dias (Man City) & Gerard Moreno (Villarreal)
- 25th: Phil Foden (Man City)
- 24th: Pedri (Barcelona)
- 23rd: Harry Kane (Tottenham)
- Joint-21st: Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan) & Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd)
- 20th: Riyad Mahrez (Man City)
RUBBED THE RON WAY
Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly snubbing tonight’s Ballon d’Or ceremony.
The Man Utd star is set to finish outside the top three – which hasn’t happened since 2007.
And with arch-rival Lionel Messi in line to win, SIC claims Ronaldo will not be present at the awards show in Paris.
ED STRONG
Arsenal sporting director Edu admits he has already talked to Arsene Wenger over a return to the club.
Echoing Mikel Arteta’s sentiments, Edu said: “It was great to see Arsene Wenger the other day at the screening for his new documentary.
“We had a good conversation, and I said to him that he cannot realise how important he is for my career.
“I told him I would like to see him a bit closer to the club and to myself as well in the future.
“That would be a real, real pleasure and special for everyone here.”
- Anthony Chapman
FER REAL
Jamie Carragher claims Rio Ferdinand once tried to push through a sensational transfer to Chelsea.
Hitting back at the Man Utd icon for comments about never winning a title, Carragher tweeted: "Not talking titles but the deal for Ronaldo to Man Utd which you arranged.
"No Premier League for me but Sky like my opinions!
"No trophy in your career without Alex Ferguson and when you stopped winning Premier League at Manchester United you tried to move to Chelsea so please stop giving it the big United fan one! #olesatthewheel."
- Joshua Mbu
BALLON D'OR 2021
Real Madrid fans are fuming after their hero Sergio Ramos backed team-mate and former Barcelona star Lionel Messi to win the Ballon d'Or, writes JOHN HUTCHINSON.
The two players were bitter rivals for years while playing for Spain's top two clubs.
But now they are winding down their careers playing for Paris Saint-Germain, with the pair playing in the same team for the first time at the weekend.
Messi bagged three assists to overshadow Ramos' debut in a 3-1 away win at St Etienne.
And speaking after the game Ramos, 35, is tipping his new mate to win football's top prize.
The 180-cap Spain international told ESPN: He's in good shape, and I think he's the kind of player who really makes a difference.
"He's a unique player and it's a privilege to have him in the team.
"I think that bit by bit, each of us is going to bring our own quality to make Paris Saint-Germain even greater and achieve the things we want to achieve."
The ceremony starts around 7PM tonight.
Will Messi win his seventh Ballon d'Or to go two clear of Ronaldo, or will Robert Lewandowski claim his first?
Where will Ronaldo finish? Top five?
- Joshua Mbu
BARC-ING MAD
Barcelona have reportedly reached a verbal agreement with Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette.
The Frenchman’s contract expires in the summer of 2022, and isn’t showing any signs of agreeing to new terms.
According to Caught Offside, the Catalan giants are on course to win the race for Lacazette’s signature.
Barca are testing a cost-effective transfer model where they pick up talent for free.
The signing of Memphis Depay is a prime example of it.
Depay has become Barca’s main man instantly.
- Joshua Mbu
SARR LONG
Chelsea forgotten man Malang Sarr is reportedly set to be thrown a career lifeline by Inter Milan, writes STEVE GOODMAN & JUSTIN LAWRENCE.
Sarr, 22, joined the Blues from Nice amid great expectations 15 months ago.
The French centre-back penned a five-year deal with the Blues, but was shipped out on loan to Porto last season.
The U21 international finally made his Chelsea debut in September, but has started just three games for Thomas Tuchel's side.
Two of those were Carabao Cup ties, while his Premier League bow against Brentford only happened due to both Antonio Rudiger and Thiago Silva being out.
The Nice native was not even in the Blues' 20-man squad for Sunday's 1-1 draw with Manchester United.
Italian media now claim talks have been held between the league leaders and Inter about a January loan for the defender.
Inter are thought to be seeking an option to make Sarr's move permanent next summer for around £13million.
- Joshua Mbu
LACA THREAT
West Ham hold an interest in Arsenal's Alexandre Lacazette, whose contract expires next summer.
The Hammers are in search of a solid back-up striker for Michail Antonio, who has nine goal contributions in 12 games.
- Joshua Mbu
NOT SURE HOWE
Eddie Howe admitted rock-bottom Newcastle will struggle to attract players in January, writes OSCAR PAUL.
The mega rich Saudi-owned Magpies desperately need reinforcements to avoid relegation.
Toon’s new boss dismissed talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor’s claim that 'players don’t want to live in Newcastle….they want to be close to London'.
But he said: “I’ve heard from everyone how nice the area is to live in.
“We’ll have no problem attracting players to Newcastle for a whole host of reasons. I don’t think that’s going to be an issue.
“What is an issue is our league position in attracting players in January.
“It’s very difficult to make any promises in the sense that we will definitely spend money and sign players.
“You have to attract players, they have to want to come and they have to be the right players to improve the squad.
“That is why January is an incredibly difficult window to recruit players in, especially when your league position is difficult.
“I can’t make any promises on that but I can promise that the people above me, the owners, will support the team and me in trying to achieve what we need.
“But we can’t focus on that yet.
"We are going to have the group of players we have until January – we need to get more out of them and help them in every way we can.
“I still believe we have the players we need to get results.”
- Joshua Mbu
BREAKING: O-MI
Manchester United’s Champions League clash with Young Boys could be moved from Old Trafford because of the Omicron strain, writes KEALAN HUGHES.
Travel from Switzerland to the UK is banned and that means the Young Boys squad will be unable to make the trip to Manchester.
As a result, the tie could be moved to a neutral venue in Europe.
Uefa have asked the Swiss government whether Young Boys will have to quarantine ahead of their clash at Old Trafford, according to The Telegraph.
United have already played the Swiss side away and lost 2-1 but lead Group F by three points over Villarreal.
- Joshua Mbu
‘FULL OF TALENT’
Ralf Rangnick has hailed the Man Utd squad as ‘full of talent’ after being appointed interim manager.
The 63-year-old said: “I am excited to be joining Manchester United and focused on making this a successful season for the club.
“The squad is full of talent and has a great balance of youth and experience.
“All my efforts for the next six months will be on helping these players fulfil their potential, both individually and, most importantly, as a team.
“Beyond that, I look forward to supporting the club’s longer-term goals on a consultancy basis.”
- Joshua Mbu
LION KIL
Max Kilman is reportedly in line for a shock call-up to Gareth Southgate's England side after a string of impressive performances for Wolves this season.
The 24-year-old versatile defender's robust displays have helped Wolves jump to sixth in the Premier League.
Kilman's also built a solid partnership with team-mate Conor Coady, who's already earned his stripes with the Three Lions, which has seen Wolves achieve the Prem's fourth-best defensive record at the stage of the campaign.
Kilman's contribution at the Molineux under Bruno Lage hasn't gone unnoticed by Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate, according to The Athletic.
They report that Kilman could be used to bolster Southgate's injury-ravaged back four going into next winter's World Cup in Qatar.
- Joshua Mbu
CHAMPION
Lionel Messi is set to win his seventh Ballon d'Or title later today, according to reports, writes KEALAN HUGHES.
And organiser France Football has already informed the Argentine of his victory, as per tradition.
Each year editor-in-chief Pascal Ferré calls up the winner or their agent to inform them of their victory so they know how the ceremony will work.
And according to Italian journalist Matteo Moretto Messi has already received the good news.
Moretto tweeted: "Messi, his friends already know," in response to fan suggesting France Football have misled people about the winner of the Ballon d'Or.
Messi, 34, already holds the record for most Ballon d'Or titles with six, and victory this year would put him two ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Rumours hinted at a new name on the trophy in 2021, with Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski a heavy favourite.
- Joshua Mbu
BREAKING: RANGNICK ANNOUNCED
Man Utd have announced Ralf Rangnick as interim manager.
The club have also announced Rangnick will take up an advisory role at the end of the season, all but confirming another managerial appointment will take place in the next year.
John Murtough, United football director, said: “Ralf is one of the most respected coaches and innovators in European football. He was our number one candidate for interim manager, reflecting the invaluable leadership and technical skills he will bring from almost four decades of experience in management and coaching.
“Everyone at the club is looking forward to working with him during the season ahead, and then for a further two years in his advisory role.”
- Joshua Mbu
ROYAL STANDARD
New Reading hero Andy Carroll is reportedly earning 75 times LESS than he was pocketing at Newcastle, writes JOHN HUTCHINSON.
The former England striker scored on his debut at the weekend to help his new side to an exciting 3-2 win away at Swansea.
And according to The Athletic, Carroll is earning just £1,000-a-week at the Madejski Stadium. At Newcastle he was believed to be on £75,000.
Reading are currently under a transfer embargo after being found to have breached financial rules, with Carroll earning the maximum permitted wage.
The 32-year-old had been a free agent since his second stint with boyhood club Newcastle ended in the summer.
He was keen to get back into the game and has been given a chance in the Championship by the Royals, who have snapped him up on a deal until mid-January.
- Joshua Mbu
PHIL YOUR BOOTS
Marcelo Bielsa said that no Leeds player is undroppable – including axed “idol” Kalvin Phillips, writes OSCAR PAUL.
Whites fans were alarmed to see Phillips hooked at half-time against Brighton last Saturday.
Playing in an unfamiliar defensive role, the England star was replaced by Pascal Struijk – with Leeds much better after the break and able to cling on for a 0-0.
Bielsa’s experiment of moving Phillips to centre-back in the last two games has backfired, and pundit Jamie Redknapp said there is “something not quite right” between the pair.
But the Leeds boss hit back: “It’s very difficult to imagine that a player can never be substituted.
“I thought Pascal was better suited to the second half than Kalvin. That doesn’t mean I was correct, but I did what I thought was best.
“But in no way does that mean there’s a difficulty.
“It’s never good for a player or a team to think that the positions are immovable and that the hierarchies within a team can’t be altered
“It’s not only bad for the player, who is untouchable, but it’s bad for those (players) who want to alter the positions within a team.
“It’s bad for Kalvin to think that he’d never be substituted like any other component of the team.”
- Joshua Mbu
GAME CHANGER
Chelsea are facing a fixture pile-up after the Fifa Club World Cup dates were announced, writes JOHN HUTCHINSON.
Thomas Tuchel will take his team to the United Arab Emirates for the tournament between February 3 and 12.
That means the Blues’ games away at Brighton and at home to Arsenal will have to be rearranged.
Seven clubs will take part in the Club World Cup, the six winners of each confederation’s continental cup and the UAE league champions.
Alongside Chelsea in the tournament will be Al Hilal, Al Ahly, Monterrey, Auckland City, Al Jazira Club and Palmeiras.
The Londoners enter the competition in the semi-finals, on the opposite side of the draw to Copa Libertadores winners Palmeiras.
- Joshua Mbu
CARRA BLIMEY
Jamie Carragher has posted a snap of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink laughing in between Roy Keane and himself rowing on Sky Sports, writes GARY STONEHOUSE.
The Liverpool legend and ex-Manchester United captain had viewers in hysterics yesterday as they got into a heated debate regarding Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portuguese forward, 36, was left on the bench by interim boss Michael Carrick for the 1-1 draw at Chelsea.
Keane and Carragher were debating the importance of winning trophies and whether second place is good enough for a club the size of United.
Keane asked Carragher: “Did you win the FA Cup?”
To which Carragher responded with: “Yeah I did.”
The Irishman then said: “Yeah so go back to winning the FA Cup. They got through to the next round of the Champions League, how much you think that’s worth to the club.
“The Glazers and share prices- that’s what he’s come back for!”
Carragher thit back with: “You finish 2nd and sign Ronaldo at 36 you’re not going to win the League in four years.
“If you sign someone at 36 it’s to win right now. If you sign Varane a four-time Champions League winner, it's to win right now. Are they any closer to winning the league?”
- Joshua Mbu
URGED TO LEAVE
Danny Mills has urged Alexandre Lacazette to leave Arsenal.
The Frenchman is out of contract next June and doesn’t look set to agree on new terms.
A host of Premier League clubs, as well as some from across Europe are interested in acquiring Lacazette’s services.
Mills told Football Insider: “They’re going to need some kind of replacement if they are to let him go.
“But is he doing enough at the moment to earn a new deal on big money? I don’t see it if I’m honest. It would be big to let him go, but they should.
“You look at the likes of Willian and Aubemayang. Is it the best move all around? If he wasn’t at Arsenal would you be thinking ‘We need to sign this player’? Probably not is the answer.”
- Joshua Mbu
‘COMPLETELY FALSE’
Mohamed Elneny father has attempted to play down talk of his son’s departure from Arsenal, writes GARY STONEHOUSE.
Milli Gazete report Elneny senior saying to Al Hayat TV: “Mohamed’s contract with Arsenal expires at the end of the season.
“The club does not intend to terminate his contract. His playing in the Liverpool match proves his coach’s belief in him and his abilities.
“It is difficult for him to return to Egypt during this period.
“The reports that El Ahly made a deal with him are completely false.”
- Joshua Mbu
JOR DROPPING
Chelsea icon Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank blasted Jorginho for his 'arrogant' mistake that allowed Manchester United to score their opener, writes ETIENNE FERMIE.
The Dutchman, 49, said on Sky Sports: "He should head it, he should head it back. You can’t take that chance and if you do it has to come off.
"I agree with Roy (Keane), it’s not a bit of arrogance… it is arrogance.
"Thinking 'oh I will take it down out of the sky and play,' no. Two men are coming at you, just head the ball back and get people behind the ball.
"Sancho takes the goal really well but this, you don’t do it.
"Also, you know yourself… yes technically he is a very good player but he is not somebody who is blessed with pace so he’s never going to be able to get behind Sancho so you don’t take the risk.
"Just head it back, have people behind you and don’t get a goal against [you] and you still have to score one goal to win the match. It’s silly."
- Joshua Mbu
'LESS RISKY'
Former Premier League defender Glen Johnson says a move to West Ham in January is 'less risky' than a transfer to Newcastle.
Exclusively speaking about the wantaway Manchester United to Bettingodds.com, Johnson said: "At West Ham we saw how much Jesse enjoyed his football and the performances he got back to.
"For £10million, I’m not being funny, who can you usually get for that price? You can’t get much of a player nowadays.
"So if they can take him, he knows what he’s walking into, the club are doing great at the moment, he knows the team, and it’s a lot less risky a move than it is to sign for Newcastle right now.
"I think he should go to West Ham, he clearly enjoyed it there and he knows what the club thought of him. Surely he’d want it all back.
"West Ham and Newcastle are in totally different positions at the moment but that could all quickly change with the plans Newcastle have got.
"But right now, with Newcastle, he doesn’t know what he’s walking into. Sometimes the grass ain't greener.”
- Joshua Mbu
ANT & CHEQUE
Anthony Martial might reportedly secure a January transfer exit from Manchester United, writes GARY STONEHOUSE.
The 25-year-old has fallen out of favour at Old Trafford over the past year and has scored just eight times since the beginning of last season.
Despite Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s exit, new boss Ralf Rangnick is not expected to feature Martial heavily in his plans.
Now the French star could be about to quit Old Trafford and head to Spain.
That’s according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, who state Barcelonaare interested in signing Martial.
The Catalans are desperate to add to their attacking ranks and have identified the ex-Monaco man as their ideal target.
And this latest report claims Barca have already ‘contacted’ United about his availability.
- Joshua Mbu
BREAKING: RANGNICK UPDATE
Ralf Rangnick is due to be confirmed as interim Man Utd manager in the NEXT 24 hours, according to The Athletic.
The German is set to take charge of the team for the rest of the season and then be promoted into an ‘advisory’ role to allow a long-term manager to take over.
Rangnick’s first game in charge could be against league high flyers Arsenal at Old Trafford on December 2.
- Joshua Mbu
LIKE THE LUKA
Manchester City are reportedly plotting a swoop to bring Luka Modric back to the Premier League, writes GARY STONEHOUSE.
The veteran Croatian midfielder left Tottenham for Real Madrid back in 2012 but will become a free agent in June.
Modric, 36, is wanted by Newcastle United’s new Saudi owners but the star is ready to snub the riches on offer at St James’ Park.
According to SuperDeporte, Modric is now considering his options after talks over an extension at the Bernabeu stalled.
He is now believed to be heading to the USA – but not before a stop off in Manchester.
Modric is 'open to' following in Frank Lampard’s footsteps and have a spell at Man City before heading Stateside at New York City – a side within the Cityzens’ umbrella of clubs.
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