Manchester City consider final £50m bid for Raheem Sterling... and England youngster looks ready to jet away from Liverpool

Manchester City may be preparing to pay £50million to sign Raheem Sterling from Liverpool, but the England youngster looked without a care as he flyboarded and hit the beach in Ibiza.

The 20-year-old has been spending part of his summer break on the party island while Liverpool turned down £30m and £40m bids from the Barclays Premier League runners-up.

Sterling could become the most expensive English player of all time if City up their offer, despite his latest controversy after allegedly being caught on camera inhaling nitrous oxide while on holiday.

Raheem Sterling was pictured freeboarding in Ibiza before heading home to England amid his transfer saga


England international Sterling pictured on holiday with friends in Ibiza as his future remains in the balance

It came just three months after being warned about his conduct by Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers. 

Sterling was filmed on a yacht in Ibiza where it appeared he was inhaling the substance — known as laughing gas — through a balloon. 

It is entirely legal, but after similar footage emerged in April, Rodgers warned the England youngster to think like a professional footballer. He was also pictured smoking a shisha pipe.

The latest photographs show the starlet by the beach, freeboarding and tucking into a meal outside Burger King, though he returned home to England on Sunday by private jet.

A £50m move would see him eclipse the record fee for an Englishman, previously held by Andy Carroll at £35m when he left Newcastle United for Liverpool in 2011.

Plenty feel English players are being sold for eye-watering prices in the modern market with Sterling, who has 91 appearances in the Premier League, leading the way. 

Among those is former England and Manchester United centre back Rio Ferdinand, who labelled Sterling and Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane 'overpriced'.

Ferdinand wrote on Twitter: 'English players are soooo overpriced right now it's a joke! Kane & sterling have huge potential but 40m & 50m...(Sergio) aguero 38m & (Alexis) sanchez 32m!!!' 

Liverpool have made it clear they want £50m if they are to allow Sterling to leave, but that valuation seemed to scare off Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

City, however, are considering a final bid as they appear determined to sign Sterling, who would add to their all-important homegrown quota. 

Paul Pogba is an 'amazing player'... he was ready for the top at the time he left Manchester United, says Thierry Henry

French footballing legend Thierry Henry has lauded compatriot Paul Pogba as a 'amazing player', saying the 22-year-old was destined to be a star well before his move to Juventus.

Henry, who made 123 appearances for and also captained the France international team, is not surprised the former Manchester United midfielder is attracting clubs from all over Europe.

Having played a key role in helping Juventus to Serie A and Coppa Italia glory and the Champions League final, Pogba has converted himself into a high-end transfer target for the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea.

The Frenchman's future at Juve still hangs firmly in the balance as he contemplates a potential £70million move away from the Juventus Stadium, but wherever he ends up Henry is convinced they will be getting their money's worth.  

'He is a special player and that's why every team wants him,' Henry told Goal at Arsenal's new kit launch.

'Is he going to stay at Juve? I don't know. But whoever gets him is going to get an amazing player.

Henry is convinced that youngster Pogba will prove a star player whether he stays at Juventus or moves on

'I was a bit upset for him because he couldn't perform the way he wanted to perform at the end of the season because he came back from an injury at the wrong time.

'For people to talk about him the way they talk about him right now, it's because he has something that young players his age don't have right now.'

Having scouted Pogba's progress over the years, former Arsenal striker Henry is extremely surprised the former United youngster vacated Old Trafford at all.

After growing frustrated with a lack of first team action and an apparent fall out with then-manager Sir Alex Ferguson, the young Frenchman decided to move on to Juventus in 2012.

However Henry thinks Pogba is now proving everybody wrong: 'He was ready to play at the time he left Manchester United. I don't know what happened there, he was ready for me at that time.

'I saw him play in a World Cup with the France youth team and you could see already that he had something different from the other players.

'It didn't work for him at United for various reasons but he showed character, he went to Juve and showed he could play. Now everybody wants him.'

Spurs to sell £100,000-a-week Adebayor despite striker declaring he wants to stay at the club

Tottenham remain determined to offload Emmanuel Adebayor this summer despite a string of public declarations from the forward that he wants to stay.

The Togolese striker has been rampant on social media in recent days, intimating that he is keen to stay at White Hart Lane next season.

Adebayor was a peripheral figure during Mauricio Pochettino's first season at the club, and the Argentine wants to sell the striker ahead of the new campaign in a bid to get his hefty £100,000-per-week salary off the club's wage bill.

Spurs know they'll have to take a hefty financial hit to sell the African this summer.

They are aware it is highly unlikely that another club would be willing to pick up his £100,000-per-week wages, so they're willing to pay a percentage of his salary to facilitate a move.

Chairman Daniel Levy wants £5million for the striker this summer but is likely to accept offers south of that figure to ensure Adebayor's exit.

Adebayor has 12 months left on his deal which will cost Spurs a whopping £5.2m if he stays until the end of next season.

He is the maverick of Madrid with 19 red cards... but if United want to be serial winners, Ramos fits the bill

If Sergio Ramos’ contract brinkmanship with Real Madrid does end in him moving to Old Trafford this summer, Manchester United fans will ask themselves are they getting a legend or a liability?

He wins trophies but he also picks up red cards and wasn’t he at the heart of the dressing room divide that split the club when Jose Mourinho was the manager?

But anyone who has watched Ramos over the last decade knows that the pros far outweigh the cons. If there are two types of player that United need to acquire this summer they are winners and world class defenders, and Ramos is both.

There were shades of Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scoring injury-time goals at the Nou Camp in 1999, when Ramos rose to head in a Luka Modric' corner on 93 minutes last summer and take the Madrid-derby Champions League final into an extra half hour.

Many Madrid supporters had given up on overturning Atletico's 1-0 lead, Ramos never gives up.

He showed the same spirit in Austria in 2008 when he won the European Championship as a marauding right back with Spain; the same spirit in 2010 in South Africa when the World Cup as a central defender; and the same spirit again in 2012 when he won the Euros for a second time. 

Add that to the Spanish Leagues, Spanish Cups, Spanish and European Super Cups and World Club Cup and there is nothing he hasn't won.

Before analysing him as a defender he should be appreciated as a leader – someone who, like Bryan Robson and Roy Keane at Old Trafford in the past, can drag a side to success. If United want to get back to being serial winners he fits perfectly.

As a defender he has his critics but can you win 128 caps for Spain without being one of the best of your generation? The partnership with Gerard Pique for the national side, and with Pepe for his club side have been two of the best ever seen in Spain. 

Coaches love him because his pace means the team can defend high up the pitch. He dominates in the air and his distribution from the back means possession is kept more easily. 

When he was injured last term Madrid’s season collapsed in part because of his absence.

Louis van Gaal’s fondness for being flexible with his system will not be a problem. 

Ramos played as an attacker in his youth before dropping back into defence and he has also played in defensive midfield. He did it twice last season in big games – to great effect against Atletico in the Champions League and with less success against Juventus.

The fact that Carlo Ancelotti preferred him there to midfielder Asier Illarramendi speaks volumes for how much the Italian coach believed in his captain.

Ramos’ relationship with Ancelotti was excellent and part of the player’s current unhappiness comes from the decision to get rid of the coach who had led Madrid to their 10th European Cup.

That closeness between the two also smashes another Ramos myth that he is a trouble-maker, likely to upset a dressing room. 

When Mourinho fell out with players in his final season at Madrid, Ramos was in a group, headed by Iker Casillas and which eventually included Cristiano Ronaldo, that turned against their manager. But Ramos was never the most militant.

He’s not a political animal; he’s only really interested in playing football.

He still has a kid-like attitude towards the game and in the past it has got the better of him on the pitch. 

Charging out of position to make a rash challenge that will either cost a goal or earn him a red card has become an unfortunate trademark. The frustrated striker can get the better of him and the disciplinary record is a record-breaking one for all the wrong reasons.

No one has been sent off as many times for Madrid.

But of the 19 reds he has received many have been petty and there is no question he would have been sent off far fewer times in the Premier League, where there is greater leniency.

SERGIO RAMOS FACTFILE 

Clubs: Sevilla, Real Madrid

La Liga Appearances: 353

Spain caps: 128

Honours: Champions League (2014), Super Cup (2014),

 Club World Cup (2014), La Liga (2007, 2008, 2012),

Copa del Rey (2011, 2014) Spanish Super Cup (2008, 2012), 

World Cup (2010), European Championship (2008, 2012).

Ramos (left) would significantly bolster United's defence if he arrived at Old Trafford from Spanish side Madrid

Ramos can see his own career in the Spanish capital ending in a similar way. A move to the one club in the world that could rival Madrid for prestige, wealth and history would be one way to dodge that particular destiny.

Madrid don't want to pay him €10million (£7.15m) a season and United do.

For a club needing a top defender and a born winner, he would be worth every penny.

Cech will save Arsenal 12-15 points a season, says Terry (and that would have won them the last Premier League title)

John Terry has given Arsenal fans an idea of what to expect from Petr Cech, claiming the keeper will save them '12 to 15 points a season.' Arsenal have completed the signing of the Czech stopper after he ended his 11-year Chelsea career. 

Terry, who was speaking to talkSPORT, was full of praise for Cech and our table shows how Arsenal would have fared if he had been a Gunner since 2004 - the year he arrived at Stamford Bridge.

Terry, who is meeting fans in China as part of his JT Captain China Tour to promote football culture in the Far East, said: 'If they (Arsenal) do get Pete he's going to strengthen them, for sure, and save them 12, 15 points a season.'

With that in mind,  Arsenal would have won the Premier League title last campaign with 90 points, beating Chelsea's tally of 87.

Terry also praised 'exceptional player' Raheem Sterling in the talkSPORT interview, defending the Liverpool winger's ambitions to play in the Champions League, adding that Tottenham striker Harry Kane 'was by far the best striker I played against last year,' before concluding that the two England prospects 'probably deserve their price tags.' 

Transfer News LIVE: Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea latest plus more from the rest of the Premier League and Europe

Claudio Marchisio attracting English interest, according to reports

Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio is being chased by several Premier League clubs, according to reports in Italy. 

His dad Stefano, who also happens to be his agent, said of his son's future: 'The ball is in the Old Lady's court, I don't think they'd let a player like him go.

'If we don't find an agreement, we'll look around. I've received many calls from top clubs in the Premier League and the Bundesliga.'

Jurgen Klopp keen on move to 'very exciting' Premier League

Highly-rated former Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp thinks that the Premier League is 'very exciting' and appears open to a move to England in the future, according to his agent Marc Kosicke.

Klopp, 47, won two Bundesliga titles and the German Cup over the course of a seven-year spell in charge of Dortmund before stepping down from the club in May to take a break from football.

He also guided The Black and Yellows to the Champions League final in 2013, but they were defeated by Bayern Munich.

Manchester United keen on 'BBC' and Raphael Varane, say AS

Spanish newspaper AS claim Manchester United are keeping close tabs on the futures of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane.

However Real Madrid have reportedly given Manchester United a 'negative' response as they plan to hold on to the aforementioned players.

Louis van Gaal has already made one signing this summer, with Memphis Depay joining Manchester United from PSV.

Cristiano Ronaldo is currently training with the Portugal national team

Eden Hazard is more valuable than Cristiano Ronaldo

As the transfer window starts to heat up, Sportsmail's Nicholas Godden has provided an analysis on the most valuable players in Europe.

Statistics show Eden Hazard is more valuable than Cristiano Ronaldo when you take into account a number of factors. 

BREAKING NEWS: Dani Alves signs new two-year deal at Barca

Barcelona right back Dani Alves has made a dramatic U-turn over his future by committing his future to the Catalan giants.

Alves has signed a two-year deal to stay at the Nou Camp and even has the option for a third year.

The Brazil international had been linked with a move to Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain.

Dani Alves has been convinced to stay at Barca

Robin van Persie sparks transfer rumours after travelling to Rome

Robin van Persie was seen out and about on the streets of Rome as he contemplates his Manchester United future.

With just one year left on his Old Trafford contract there is continued speculation that the Dutchman was in Italy to discuss a move to the Serie A, with Roma rumoured to be interested in the striker.

Will Paul Pogba, Karim Benzema and Kevin De Bruyne move to England?




Sportsmail's Simon Jones has had his say on the high-profile names that are being linked with a move to the Premier League. 
Paul Pogba and Gonzalo Higuain both have a 3/5 chance of moving to England, according to our transfer expert. 

Cech seals £11m switch to Arsenal from Chelsea as Wenger gets one over Mourinho... with debut set to be against them at Wembley

Arsenal have completed the signing of Chelsea's Petr Cech and the goalkeeper could face his former club as soon as August 2 in the Community Shield. Talks over an £11m deal have been ongoing since the season ended and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has finally made the 33-year-old his first signing of the summer. Jose Mourinho was reluctant to sell Cech to a direct Barlcays Premier League rival but, although there has been no official confirmation, Sportsmail can reveal the transfer has gone through.

Arsenal have completed the signing of Chelsea's Petr Cech and here is what he could look like next season

Paris Saint-Germain formally approached Chelsea about the veteran but the Czech Republic international preferred to stay in London where his family are based.

Cech wanted to leave Chelsea after playing second fiddle to Thibaut Courtois during their title-winning season, and owner Roman Abramovich has granted him his wish.

Cech's arrival means either Wojciech Szczesny or David Ospina, who is wanted by Fenerbahce, is likely to leave Arsenal this summer.

ARSENAL FIXTURES FOR CECH

Aug 2: Community Shield vs Chelsea

Aug 8: Premier League vs West Ham (h)

Sep 19: Premier League vs Chelsea (a)

Jan 23: Premier League vs Chelsea (h)

Ospina ended last season as Wenger's No 1, playing a crucial role in guiding Arsenal to Champions League qualification in third place, but the Colombia international is the most likely to be sold.

Cech had one year left on his contract at Stamford Bridge but his move also means Chelsea goalkeeping coach Christophe Lollichon could follow him to Arsenal.

Mourinho, meanwhile, is set to search for Cech's replacement with Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic understood to be his prime target.

CECH'S TROPHY HAUL AT CHELSEA 

Premier League titles (4)

FA Cup (4)

League Cup (3)

Community Shield (2)

Champions League

Europa League 

Chelsea captain John Terry gave Arsenal supporters an idea of what to expect from Cech on Monday by claiming the man with four Premier League titles will save them '12 to 15 points a season'.

Cech spent 11 years at Stamford Bridge and Terry told talkSPORT the goalkeeper can be the difference between first and second place.

'If they (Arsenal) do get Pete he's going to strengthen them, for sure, and save them 12, 15 points a season,' the 34-year-old said. 

Cech joined Chelsea in 2004 from Rennes and made 333 appearances in the Premier League for the club. He won four titles, four FA Cups, the Champions League and Europa League.