Here, Sports Mole rounds up the latest news snippets from across the footballing world, including Newcastle's interest in a Rochdale youngster, Juventus's offer of a goalkeeper to Aston Villa and Bruno Fernandes's explosive audio leak. Scroll down for more!
Dani Alves tips Neymar for Barca return
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Dani Alves has said that his former teammate Neymar is destined to return to Barcelona as that is where he is most 'happy'. The Brazilian became the most expensive player in history when he sealed a £200m move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 but was heavily linked with a return to Camp Nou over the most recent transfer window.
"Regarding Neymar, I still think his happiness is in Barcelona," Alves told Business Insider. "I believe he'd find happiness in continuing the success he had there a couple of years ago. When you are happy somewhere you try to go back to the place you were happy, and I think that's what he tried to do. I'm sure if in the future he wishes to go back he will be able to."
Bellerin: 'Footballers have a different kind of intelligence'
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Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin has said that footballers deserve more credit than they are given in the intelligence stakes. The Spaniard - recently back in action after a long-term injury layoff - has urged his peers to use their status to continue speaking out about social issues.
"Most footballers come from difficult backgrounds," he said in an interview for The Guardian . "If your mum or dad is a banker or a doctor, then you're hardly likely to become a footballer; your parents will most likely put you through university and you'll have a career. My mum and dad raised me really well and I didn't hang around the streets all day, but I'm still from a lower-class family. We are just as good at what we do. If Einstein were still alive, he probably wouldn't have a clue about the offside rule. We have a different kind of intelligence.
"Footballers are still told to stick to football and not to talk about anything else. For a lot of footballers, it's easy to post boring stuff online after a game. I feel that we will never go forward if we keep doing that. We can use social media to show that we aren't machines that play every Saturday. We have our passions and our problems just like everyone else."
Sarri calls a truce with Emre Can?
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Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri has suggested that Emre Can will play a bigger part for the side moving forwards. The German was vocal in the media after being left out of Sarri's Champions League squad this season but is now being primed for a regular first-team role.
"He suffered from this decision, but we were forced not to put him in the list of the Champions League," Sarri told Sky Sports Italy. "He responded very well to training and we want to get him back in the team as quickly as possible."
Juve offer Perin to Villa?
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Juventus have encouraged Aston Villa to make a move for goalkeeper Mattia Perin in the January transfer window, according to Il Bianconero. The 26-year-old is surplus to requirements at the Serie A side and is also on the radar of Sporting Lisbon and Monaco.
New Liverpool kit deal 'worth £15m a year less'
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Liverpool's new contract with Nike is worth £30m a year to the club - £15m less than the current arrangement with New Balance, according to The Times. The Reds are currently being sued by New Balance for defecting to Nike, with the manufacturer alleging that they have a clause in their contract allowing them to match the terms of any prospective new supplier.
Fernandes slams teammates in leaked audio
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Bruno Fernandes is in hot water with Sporting Lisbon after the leak of an audio recording in which he blasts his teammates. In the clip, the Manchester United target says: "I think very badly of the attitude of some players. Actually not an attitude, attitudes that don't exist. There are players who have no attitude here, bro. They don't want to be here, they don't want to play. They don't want to be here then f*ck off, let them say they don't want to play. They spend a year here getting money, and then they f*ck off, bro. Shit attitude bro, for f*ck's sake."
Newcastle keen on Rochdale teenager?
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Newcastle United are reportedly keeping tabs on Rochdale's Luke Matheson, who made headlines when he scored against Manchester United at Old Trafford last week. The 16-year-old has been on the Magpies' radar for more than a year, according to The Chronicle.
Goncalo Guedes 'wants out of Valencia'
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Goncalo Guedes has told his agent Jorge Mendes that he is "fed up" with Valencia and wants to leave the club in the near future, reports in Spain have claimed. Mendes is said to have already offered the winger to Real Madrid for a fee of around €80m (£71m).
Neil Wilkes
