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CRISTIANO RONALDO has been tipped to become a FIGHTER by Francis Ngannou.

The MMA legend held the UFC heavyweight world title before switching to boxing.

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Getty

Instagram @francisngannou

Ngannou went up against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia over the last two years, which led to him rubbing shoulders with Al-Nassr star Ronaldo.

They are now close friends and Ngannou told Sportsbook Review that CR7, 40, has what it takes to step into the ring once he hangs up his boots.

He said: “[Ronaldo] loves combat sports. I think Cristiano is the kind of guy that maybe when he was younger you could have said doesn’t have the attributes to be a player.

“But he’s such a hard-worker, disciplined and focused on what he wants.

“I think he has the attribute that you need to become a fighter. Dedication and discipline.

“We have a very good relationship. I went to Saudi for the first time two years ago and I had the opportunity to meet Cristiano.

“He was in the pool with his family and we were there for like 45 minutes just chatting next to the pool and stuff – it just felt very genuine. 

“We looked like people that knew each other for a very long time but it was the very first time. It was one of those times you have to pinch yourself. 

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“From then we picked it up on DM’s on Instagram and then he asked for my number.”

Ngannou loves football just as much as Ronaldo enjoys watching MMA and boxing, with the Cameroonian recently getting the VIP treatment at Al-Nassr and Manchester United games.

He joined compatriot Andre Onana on the pitch after their Europa League win over Bodo/Glimt earlier this season and was spotted play-fighting with the goalkeeper.

On what the future holds for Ngannou, he said: “I will do boxing next. I’m not done with boxing.

“It’s not that MMA is easy – it’s the sport that I understand better and I have more experience in – but I say go for boxing.”

ARNE SLOT has been slapped with an FA charge following Wednesday’s Merseyside madness.

The final clash between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park ended in chaos sparked by James Tarkowski‘s 98th minute equaliser.

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Curtis Jones, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Slot and his assistant, Sipke Hulshoff, were all sent off after full-time.

Both the coaches and the two clubs have been charged following the incident.

Liverpool and Everton face charges for failing to control the behaviour of their players.

Slot erupted at referee Michael Oliver, for which he was shown a red card, but has also been charged for comments made after his dismissal.

The Reds boss will be in the dugout at Wolves this weekend before learning his fate – which could be a two-match ban.

In a statement, The FA said: “The Liverpool manager allegedly acted in an improper manner and/or used insulting and/or abusive words and/or behaviour towards both the match referee and an assistant referee after the match had finished.

“It is further alleged that he acted in an improper manner and/or used insulting and/or abusive words and/or behaviour towards a match official after being sent off.”

Slot, 46, spoke earlier today ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Wolves this weekend.

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On the incident that saw him sent off in mid-week, he said: “There’s an ongoing process now and I think I have to respect that we have to respect that so can’t go into details.

“What happened was that the extra time, five minutes that ended up being eight, happens a lot.

“The emotions go the better of me. I would love to do it differently and am looking to do it differently next time as well, but I don’t want to disturb the ongoing process.”

On Jones’ suspension, Slot added: “The good thing is we have played so many games. He got a second yellow I assume so that’s only one game.

“Next Wednesday there is a game, he comes back from an injury so he already missed a few games.

“I liked him a lot when he came on. It was our best part of the game, the only part of the game where I felt a bit of comfort and where it felt like a bit of control. That is maybe because we went 2-1 up.

“I like a lot that he stands up for the team but I think there are also other ways to do that for the team and the fans.

“I will talk with him about that.

“But it is the same for me, I should have acted differently after the game as well.

“But it is an emotional game and sometimes people make the wrong decisions in an emotional moment and that’s what I did.”

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THE wife of Coronation Street actor Simon Gregson has been spotted without her wedding ring again.

It comes after the soap legend, 50, was forced to deny they’d split when Emma was listed as his ‘estranged’ wife in business documents.

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BackGrid

Following the couple’s money woes, Emma was seen carrying flowers and a Sainsbury’s bag as she left the shop in Wilmslow, Cheshire, on Valentine’s Day.

It was feared the pair had split as Simon, who plays Steve McDonald in the soap, faced financial struggles.

However, a source close to the 50-year-old actor confirmed the pair are definitely still going strong.

“Simon and Emma have not split and are still very much together, “ the source said.

“Simon has no idea why Emma is listed as his ‘estranged wife’ in financial paperwork.”

However, Emma was not wearing her wedding ring when she was seen out recently.

Simon married Emma in 2010 after five years together and they have three sons. 

In recent years, the couple have been struggling with money issues.

Despite Simon’s money spinning I’m A Celebrity appearance and £250k fee in 2021, and a reported £150k a year Corrie salary, the ITV star has been struggling with debt from his media company.

Simon Gregson Productions Ltd fell on hard times during the pandemic and Simon was forced to sign up to I’m A Celeb to clear the debt. 

He later told Good Morning Britain that he did it because “the money is good” and it was “enough to get him out of trouble” comparing the fee to a “solid gold diamond goblet”.

In January 2024, Simon offered to sell old furniture from his office to clear part of the debt. 

He now faces having to sell his family home if he doesn’t pay back a £250,000 loan from his production company, according to reports.

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Ruben Amorim admits Manchester United will need to sell players in the order to strengthen in the summer transfer window.

United were open to selling Alejandro Garnacho in January with both Napoli and Chelsea holding talks over a deal for the Argentine winger, who ended up staying at Old Trafford.

Chelsea also registered their interest in Kobbie Mainoo, and reports last week claimed that United would be open to selling the 19-year-old if they received an £80 million fee.

United were able to buy in January as Patrick Dorgu was signed in a £29.2m deal from Serie A side Lecce.

However, Amorim has warned United supporters that more exits are required in order for new signings to arrive once this season has finished.

‘Here is simple… to do something we need to sell players,’ Amorim said.

‘We cannot do [signings] now. The window is closed. We need to focus on the games that we have, especially the next one, and then in the summer we will see.’

Amorim was also asked about more potential staff redundancies at United, with reports this week claiming that 100 more people are set to lose their jobs at Old Trafford.

‘Our biggest problem now is Tottenham and we know the moment of the club,’ Amorim said.

‘I have to understand all these problems but that problem of our club is not new. ‘We already knew all the rules of [financial] fair play, we have a problem at the moment, but that cannot change the way I coach the team and prepare the team.’

United travel to Tottenham for their next Premier League match on Sunday afternoon.

Amorim’s side currently 13th in the Premier League, two points ahead of Spurs.

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Ruben Amorim says Antony and Scott McTominay are likely benefitting from being ‘more free’ and playing ‘without pressure’ away from a club of Manchester United’s stature.

Antony completed a six-month loan move to Real Betis in the January transfer window having failed to live up to his £82million price tag across an immensely underwhelming start to his Old Trafford career.

The 24-year-old winger managed just one goal in all competitions for United in the first half of the campaign but has hit the ground running in Spain, netting twice in his first three games for Betis.

The Brazilian’s superb long-range strike in Betis’ Europa Conference League win over Gent on Thursday night had United fans scratching their heads and wondering whether their club as a whole that was the main problem.

It’s been a similar story for Scott McTominay since the midfielder’s £25million switch to Napoli last summer, with the Scotland international quickly establishing himself as a fan favourite at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

McTominay has proven himself to be a significant goal threat in Serie A, hitting the target six times while registering two assists for Antonio Conte’s side in the Italian top flight this season.

‘Sometimes it’s like that, it can happen in any club,’ Amorim replied when asked why both Antony and McTominay had thrived to such a degree since departing the Theatre of Dreams.

‘This is a club with a lot of pressure. At this kind of club you have to have a base of a team to put the younger players, talented players that came from abroad, that come to a team that has one strong base that can help them to cope with that pressure.

‘We don’t have that in this moment so it’s really hard on them and you feel it on [Patrick] Dorgu, he was a little bit nervous in the first moment.

‘But if you are playing better as a team, you have a strong core that can cope with this, are winning games and are really strong in the games like it’s supposed to be at this kind of club, it will be more easy for these kind of players to be free to play their football.

The United head coach added: ‘Football is like that.

‘When you reach that level you need to be able to cope with the pressure.

‘Sometimes they go to other clubs and they are more free without pressure and they play better.’

Amorim is hoping the short break will have done his players good ahead of their trip to Tottenham in the Premier League this weekend.

‘It was good to work with the team, to feel the players and to try to improve our performance,’ the Portuguese continued.

‘Every game until the end of the season is a big game for us. We need to improve the way we play football but, especially, we need to win.

‘No matter what, we need to win. For that to happen we need to improve the way we play football.’

Both managers have found themselves in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons after wretched starts to the season, but Amorim believes he is under ‘bigger pressure’ than Ange Postecoglou.

Asked if he has sympathy for the under-fire Spurs boss, Amorim replied: ‘Of course, especially because he is a good guy.

‘He’s a very good coach. He wants to play football in the right way, for me that is a good thing.

‘When we choose this profession there is a lot of good things but then you have to feel that pressure when you don’t win.’

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