REVEALED: How Lionel Messi’s father thwarted son’s move to Chelsea after agreeing terms

Reports have emerged over how close Chelsea were to sign Lionel Messi as the west London club were ready to pay the Barcelona star £1MILLION a week to complete a world-record £225m transfer in 2014.

Owner Roman Abramovich was prepared to dig deep into his pockets to land the Argentine superstar after boss Jose Mourinho held a FaceTime call with him, according to Sky Italy’s Gianluca di Marzio.

The Russian billionaire and Mourinho were keen to trigger Messi’s buy-out clause and would have rewarded him spectacularly with annual wages of around £50m.

The report states Chelsea first contacted Messi in January 2014 during his tax fraud probe.

The forward was fed up with Spanish authorities and a glitzy move to London looked an attractive proposition.

Messi asked old Barca pal and player agent Deco for his opinion, having played at Stamford Bridge, before holding a video chat with Mourinho.

Messi is said to have been convinced by ‘winner’ Mourinho and was keen to finalise a deal.

But, according to the report, things fell through when Deco was eased out of discussions and Mourinho spoke directly to Messi.

Cesc Fabregas – who would move to West London that summer – told Deco, who promptly informed Messi’s dad Jorge and things unravelled.

Jorge was fuming that personal terms had been agreed without his say-so and promptly convinced his son to pull the plug on the ground-breaking deal.

Arsene Wenger reveals reason he deliberately removed Jose Mourinho from his autobiography

Arsene Wenger revealed he deliberately snubbed Jose Mourinho from his autobiography because he ‘wanted it to be a positive book’.

The Frenchman, 70, released My Life in Red and White this week with plenty of brilliant untold stories and his version of events.

But despite the pair’s bitter rivalry, it was deemed Mour trouble than it was worth to even make a single mention of Jose.

Instead Wenger focuses on his battles with Sir Alex Ferguson.

Asked why he omitted the Special One, the ex-Arsenal boss said: “I didn’t want to make a book that sorts out some differences.

“I wanted it to be a positive book. I had more acrimonious battles with Sir Alex than Jose Mourinho.”

Former Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois aims dig at Gareth Bale over Tottenham loan move

Real Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois took a cheeky dig at Spurs when discussing Gareth Bale’s loan move.

Courtois, who joined Los Blancos in 2018 from Stamford Bridge, knows first-hand how good Bale is having shared the pitch with him.

And while he wished Bale all the best on his return to the Premier League, he joked he picked the wrong London team.

Courtois – who revealed Bale’s Real pals had nicknamed him ‘The Golfer’ – told El Larguero as per AS: “What Bale talked about with the coach is personal.

“I don’t know what he thought, but then they are decisions that each one makes.

“I had a good relationship with Gareth and I wish him the best of luck this year, even if he’s not playing for the good London team.

“He is a great player.”

Juventus prepare world record transfer involving Cristiano Ronaldo

Reports in Italy claim that Juventus are preparing a world record £360million bid to lure Kylian Mbappe to the club.

Italian outlet Tuttosport claim the Serie A champions are willing to sacrifice Cristiano Ronaldo in order to land the Paris Saint-Germain star.

The report adds that Juve would be unable to accommodate both the five-time Ballon d’Or winner and French superstar Mbappe.

That could prompt Andrea Pirlo’s side to include Ronaldo in any deal to bring the World Cup winner to Turin.

Yet it is said that it is unlikely PSG accept losing their prize jewel Mbappe, 21, to receive a 35-year-old Ronaldo with his £540k-a-week wages in return.

The Sun had previously reported that the Ligue 1 giants were considering a move for the former Real Madrid superstar.

Ronaldo has been previously linked with the French side, but is intent to see out his contract at Juventus which ends in 2022.

It had been claimed that he almost joined the Parisians earlier this year but the move never materialised.

His agent Jorge Mendes had also met PSG sporting director Leonardo in a bid to push the deal through.

Impressive Reece James sees red on full England debut, reacts to his performance and red card

Chelsea defender was red-carded on his full England debut as his country was defeated at home by Denmark in Nations League match.

Harry Maguire had earlier been given marching orders in the first half of the temptuous match which witnessed a Pickford and Walker mix up at the back handing Denmark a penalty.

Christian Eriksen returned to Wembley to help his side grab a vital three points as the former Tottenham star slotted the penalty straight down the middle.

England had no response to the red card or the goal, they looked completely out of ideas and the fight to rescue the situation.

After the final whistle, Reece James was sent off for confronting the referee to cap off a dismal evening for Gareth Southgate’s side.

James though, making his third cap for England, was lively out-wide on the right with his delivery threatening throughout.

Photo Credit: Twitter/England

Former England striker says star “would be an upgrade” on Kante, tells Chelsea to sell midfielder

Darren Bent has implored Chelsea to sell N’Golo Kante and sign West Ham star Declan Rice, who the former England striker considers as an ‘upgrade’ on the France international for the Blues.

There was speculation over Chelsea interest in Rice, with reports claiming thast Frank Lampard was keen to acquire the services of the youngster.

Rice, 21, is one of the most impressive young players in the Premier League and has made the breakthrough into Gareth Southgate’s England team.

Kante, a two-time Premier League champion with Leicester and Chelsea and a World Cup winner with France, has battled form and fitness in recent seasons and Bent feels acquiring Rice would be an ‘upgrade’ for Blues boss Frank Lampard.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Bent said: “For me, I think Declan Rice would be an upgrade.

“Not only because he can play that role really, really well, he can get about the pitch, has got good energy and can read the game but he can also drop into centre half, so that’s two positions he can play in.

“For someone like Kante, he has been superb but we’ve not seen him play in the role over the past season and a half so if they sell Kante and bring in Rice, I am all for that.

“Maybe (Maurizio) Sarri was on to something because he felt he wasn’t quick enough in possession to play him there.

“Sarri got absolutely killed for not playing him there but Frank (Lampard) has come in and done the same thing and no-one has really said anything.”