Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany joked he would not sign Cristiano Ronaldo as Burnley "need players who can run".

Ronaldo is preparing for the World Cup with Portugal ahead of Thursday's Group H opener against Ghana, though the five-time Ballon d'Or winner will lreturn to club football as a free agent in January.

Manchester United and Ronaldo parted ways by mutual agreement on Tuesday after the forward's exclusive interview with Piers Morgan caused a global stir.

The Portugal captain said he felt "betrayed" by United and had no respect for manager Erik ten Hag before the fractured relationship at Old Trafford came to an abrupt end.

Kompany, now manager of Championship side Burnley, offered a tongue-in-cheek assessment of the situation, suggesting the Clarets would not be interested in signing the 37-year-old.

Asked on the BBC's World Cup coverage whether he would want Ronaldo at Turf Moor, Kompany joked: "We need players who can run."

After discussing Ronaldo's future in a jovial manner, Kompany claimed "everybody loses" after an uncomfortable situation at Old Trafford, barring Ten Hag.

"I think in the end everybody loses except perhaps the Man United manager," added Kompany, who lifted four Premier League titles with fierce rivals City.

"I think it is a problem that has been resolved and they will move on from this."

Fellow pundit and former England striker Alan Shearer believes it will be interesting to see what move Ronaldo takes next, with Chelsea reportedly among the favourites.

"It is a sad end to his Man United career," Shearer said. "He's got his wish, it is what he did the interview for. It was inevitable it was going to happen after that.

"I think it is going to be really interesting to see if a Champions League club comes in for him. Maybe Man United aren't that disappointed either, that was never going to be a match, Ten Hag and him."

Liverpool are reportedly keeping a close eye on Declan Rice's performances for England at the World Cup, and will prepare a move for the West Ham midfielder if they feel he handles the pressure of the big stage.

Rice, 23, played in all seven games for England in their run to the Euro 2020 final, and he has played in every minute of West Ham's 15 fixtures this Premier League season.

The defensive midfielder is a favourite of manager David Moyes, who declared in April that his price had risen to such an extent that "£150m just now would be minimum" – but his contract situation could force the club's hand.

TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL WATCHING IF RICE CAN RISE TO THE CHALLENGE

According to Football Insider, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is a "huge admirer" of the man with 35 international caps already under his belt, but he still wants to see more.

The report claims Liverpool will be paying attention to "how Rice copes with the type of scrutiny and huge-game pressure he does not get at West Ham, who do not compete in the Champions League or challenge for trophies".

Rice's contract ties him to the club until 2024, although there is a club-option to extend the contract for an extra year.

He turned down a bumper new deal earlier this year that would have paid him £200,000 per week, indicating this will likely be his last contract with West Ham, and that factor will drive his price down the longer the club waits.

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- Sport are reporting Manchester City are close to locking up Pep Guardiola on a new contract through 2025.

- According to 90min, Tottenham are eyeing Everton's Jordan Pickford, Brentford's David Raya and Brighton's Robert Sanchez as potential replacements for 35-year-old club captain Hugo Lloris.

- Chelsea's Christian Pulisic will likely be headed to the Serie A, per Fichajes, with Inter and Juventus said to be competing for his signature in January.

- AS are reporting Atletico Madrid will loan out Joao Felix in January after a lack of transfer interest.

- Newcastle United will make another run at 21-year-old Watford forward Joao Pedro, according to Football Insider, after having a £30m offer rejected before the season.

Manchester United are looking sever ties with Cristiano Ronaldo following his explosive interview this week, according to reports.

United put out a statement that they are taking "appropriate steps in response to Cristiano's recent media interview".

That has fuelled speculation his contract – which is due to run out at the end of the season – will be torn up.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA AND FIORENTINA READY FOR JANUARY RONALDO MOVES

The Mirror claims Chelsea are ready to reignite their interest in Cristiano Ronaldo in January, while Italian reports have linked Fiorentina with him too.

Blues owner Todd Boehly was keen on the 37-year-old during the last transfer window but nothing materialised. However, following their slow start to the season and head coach Thomas Tuchel's exit, Chelsea may be back in for the under-fire Portugal international.

Calciomercatoweb claims Fiorentina could also make a move in January, with wealthy owner Rocco B Commisso ready to offer him a lucrative deal.

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- Manchester City loom as an option for Lionel Messi, according to El Nacional. City are managed by Messi's former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola, who could lure him to England. Barca are eager to secure a return for Messi, whose contract with Paris Saint-Germain ends in mid-2023, but he has deferred all talks on his future until after the World Cup.

- The Sun on Sunday claims Chelsea will keep a close eye on Everton's Jordan Pickford with England during the World Cup as Boehly considers a move for a new goalkeeper.

- Chelsea are considering moving for Aston Villa's Leon Bailey, according to the Mail on Sunday. Jamaica international Bailey is close friends with Blues winger Raheem Sterling.

- Milan are contemplating a January move for Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar, whose agents approached the Italian champions. Aouar's contract expires at the end of this season.

- Manchester United teenager Alejandro Garnacho is set to see his wages multiply 10 times on a bumper new contract, claims the Daily Star. The Argentine's new deal would see his wages rise from £5,000 to around £50,000.

Tottenham are reportedly interested in Sporting right-back Pedro Porro, and could launch a move as soon as January for the Spain international.

Porro, 23, was identified by Manchester City back in 2019, when they purchased him for £11million from LaLiga's Girona.

He never played a game for the Premier League champions, spending a season on loan with Real Valladolid before two further campaigns on loan to Sporting, with the Portuguese club eventually agreeing to make his move permanent earlier this year for £7m.

That has proven to be a masterstroke, as he has contributed four assists in 10 Primeira Liga games, and apparently caught the eye of Antonio Conte when starting in a 2-0 home Champions League victory over Spurs.

TOP STORY – SPURS PREPARE JANUARY BID FOR SPORTING RIGHT-BACK

According to Portugal's Jornal de Noticias, Tottenham are joined by Spanish giants Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in the chase for Porro, who made his senior international debut for Spain last year.

He remains under contract with Sporting until 2025, but reportedly has a €45m release clause that could force their hand.

Currently 12 points adrift of Primeira Liga leaders Benfica, Sporting may choose to ride out the rest of the season with their breakthrough talent, but the report claims they will listen to offers "close to" Porro's release clause in January.

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- According to Sport, Barcelona are investigating a potential move for 20-year-old centre-back Josko Gvardiol, who RB Leipzig reportedly rejected a €90m bid for in the offseason from Chelsea.

- The Guardian report that Liverpool and Juventus are monitoring Chelsea's Mason Mount as the 23-year-old's contract negotiations continue to stall.

- Football Insider believes Borussia Dortmund may be open to a January move from Liverpool for Jude Bellingham.

- According to The Athletic, Shakhtar Donetsk are demanding €100m for 21-year-old Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal and City target Mykhailo Mudryk.

- ESPN is reporting Fulham, Bayer Leverkusen and Villarreal will make a run at 31-year-old Arsenal full-back Cedric Soares in January.

Phil Foden says England have not seen the best of him yet, while outlining his intentions to reach the levels of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

The 22-year-old heads to the World Cup in Qatar on the back of a fine campaign so far with Manchester City, scoring seven goals and contributing three assists in 14 appearances across all competitions.

Foden is looking to transfer that form to the international stage, where he feels he is yet to perform at his highest level, and refuted suggestions he is comparable to Messi and Neymar – though he aspires to be in the future.

"The people you've just mentioned there are way above me at the moment, but I like to think I could be there one day," he said.

"It's all about taking small steps in the right direction. I just want to take my club form into the national team. With my club form this year, I've been scoring a lot of goals and I want to bring that to the national team.

"I've got to score in big games and big finals to be world class. I know I'm capable of doing that, so it's something I strive for and look forward to.

"Have England seen the best of me? Definitely not. I don't think it is easy coming into a team and not knowing the players very well.

"You have to learn to play with different players and what they like best - running behind, or wanting balls to feet. Just little details like that. I have had enough experience in the England team to understand the players. Hopefully I can bring that into the World Cup.

"I definitely should have scored a lot more for England really. We have quality in every area on the pitch, so we can't always rely on Harry [Kane] because teams are going to try to cut him off, because of how good he is.

"It is going to take not just Harry to step up this tournament. Us attacking players are going to have to step up as well as times."

England commence their World Cup campaign on Monday against Iran, then tackling the United States and Wales in Group B.

Cristiano Ronaldo was "close" to joining Manchester City in 2021 before ultimately deciding to return to Manchester United.

Ronaldo was leaving Juventus, with the Serie A club reportedly eager to get the Portugal international's wages off their books at the time, and had been surprisingly linked with a move to Pep Guardiola's Premier League champions.

Speaking to Piers Morgan on TalkTV, the 37-year-old detailed the U-turn that ended with him going back to Old Trafford 12 years after leaving for Real Madrid.

"Honestly, it was close," Ronaldo said when asked about the potential City move. "They spoke a lot and Guardiola said two weeks ago I guess that they tried hard to have me.

"But as you know, my history with Manchester United, your heart, your feeling, the history that you did before made the difference, and of course as well [a conversation] with Sir Alex Ferguson.

"I was surprised in some ways, but it was a conscious decision because the heart was speaking loud in that moment."

Despite his loud heart, Ronaldo was unable to return United back to former glories, though in no part down to a lack of effort as he scored 18 league goals, but the team finished in sixth place with their lowest points total in Premier League history.

Ronaldo did also share a smile when asked about the impact he made on his initial return, with Morgan asking him about his replica shirts outselling those of Lionel Messi after his move to Paris Saint-Germain.

"Of course [I was happy about that]," he said. "As you know, I don't follow the records, the records follow me.

"It was good, another one in my book... it was a good moment [to rejoin the club], nobody expected it, because things changed around in 72 hours. They spoke, not only Manchester City but other clubs too, about your name, changing Juventus for another club, but United wasn't there [at the time].

"It surprised everybody, even me to be honest."

Ronaldo has been scathing of United in the interview, which had been previewed in recent days, including declaring he has "no respect" for manager Erik ten Hag and had "never heard of" his predecessor Ralf Rangnick, while claiming no progress had been made by the club since Alex Ferguson's departure in 2013.

The club released a statement saying they would not provide further comment until the interview was released in full.

Manchester United are reportedly setting their sights as high as possible for their Cristiano Ronaldo replacement, planning a massive bid for Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe.

According to The Mirror, the 37-year-old Ronaldo has played his last game for the Red Devils after burning bridges with his explosive interview during the week.

Meanwhile, Mbappe is considered arguably the most valuable player in world football, racking up 169 goals in 193 games across his past five seasons with the French giants.

While there has been no indication the 23-year-old would consider United as a potential landing spot for the next stage of his career, the report claims he is their number one target.

TOP STORY – UNITED PLAN SHOCK BID FOR PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN'S MBAPPE

The Mirror claims that if United can get Ronaldo's contract off their books, they will be one of the only clubs in Europe who can afford the eye-watering contract demands of France's top star.

Sure to demand a fee north of £150million, and a contract exceeding £500,000 per week, it is a financial proposition that has caused even heavyweights such as Liverpool to declare him too expensive.

The report also states United will push forward their plans to invest at striker to January, further harming their chances of securing Mbappe as Paris Saint-Germain seek their first Champions League title.

However, it also mentions 23-year-old Napoli striker Victor Osimhen as their back-up plan, as the Nigeria international is expected to be available in the range of £60m.

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- Football Italia is reporting Bayern Munich right-back Benjamin Pavard would be open to joining Milan, despite the 26-year-old being heavily linked with Manchester United.

- According to 90min, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United are all showing interest in 27-year-old Inter centre-back Milan Skriniar, who is yet to renew his contract beyond this season.

- Leicester City, Everton and Brighton and Hove Albion have Lens goalkeeper Brice Samba on their radars, per 90min.

- According to Sport, Manchester City are monitoring 33-year-old Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos with the hope that he does not renew his contract.

- Calciomercato is reporting Tottenham target Weston McKennie could leave Juventus in January.

Manchester United are reportedly setting their sights as high as possible for their Cristiano Ronaldo replacement, planning a massive bid for Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe.

According to The Mirror, the 37-year-old Ronaldo has played his last game for the Red Devils after burning bridges with his explosive interview during the week.

Meanwhile, Mbappe is considered arguably the most valuable player in world football, racking up 169 goals in 193 games across his past five seasons with the French giants.

While there has been no indication the 23-year-old would consider United as a potential landing spot for the next stage of his career, the report claims he is their number one target.

TOP STORY – UNITED PLAN SHOCK BID FOR PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN'S MBAPPE

The Mirror claims that if United can get Ronaldo's contract off their books, they will be one of the only clubs in Europe who can afford the eye-watering contract demands of France's top star.

Sure to demand a fee north of £150million, and a contract exceeding £500,000 per week, it is a financial proposition that has caused even heavyweights such as Liverpool to declare him too expensive.

The report also states United will push forward their plans to invest at striker to January, further harming their chances of securing Mbappe as Paris Saint-Germain seek their first Champions League title.

However, it also mentions 23-year-old Napoli striker Victor Osimhen as their back-up plan, as the Nigeria international is expected to be available in the range of £60m.

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- Football Italia is reporting Bayern Munich right-back Benjamin Pavard would be open to joining Milan, despite the 26-year-old being heavily linked with Manchester United.

- According to 90min, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United are all showing interest in 27-year-old Inter centre-back Milan Skriniar, who is yet to renew his contract beyond this season.

- Leicester City, Everton and Brighton and Hove Albion have Lens goalkeeper Brice Samba on their radars, per 90min.

- According to Sport, Manchester City are monitoring 33-year-old Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos with the hope that he does not renew his contract.

- Calciomercato is reporting Tottenham target Weston McKennie could leave Juventus in January.

Erling Haaland wishes he was able to play in the World Cup in Qatar, and has named Brazil and England among the teams he thinks could win it.

Haaland will not be present as Norway failed to qualify, finishing third in their group behind the Netherlands and Turkey, so the Manchester City striker will have some time off before domestic football in England resumes in late December.

The 22-year-old has scored 23 goals in 18 games in all competitions for City since joining from Borussia Dortmund earlier in the year, and says he will not overdo his training during the enforced break.

"I wished I played in the World Cup of course, but that's the reality now [that] I don't do [that], but I will relax my body and my mind a lot and then I will train," Haaland told Sky Sports.

"What I will train on? Nothing special I think, it's been going quite well my first months at City, so I don't need to do so many changes to be honest.

"It's about preparing myself for the next half of the season and be ready when the next game kicks in after the break."

When asked who he believes will win the World Cup, Haaland said: "I think the favourites should be Brazil, Argentina, France, and maybe England. I cannot only say one because there are so many good teams."

Haaland was only able to play in six of Norway's World Cup qualifiers, but he scored five goals before adding another six in six games in the Nations League, and the striker wants his country to qualify for future major tournaments.

"The biggest thing we can do is to get to either a World Cup or a Euros," he said. "That of course is my goal with the national team to do. We know it's difficult, but hopefully in the future one day I'll be able to play there."

Some of the Premier League's top clubs are reportedly keeping a close eye on Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram – including Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham.

Thuram, 25, is a towering presence up front, standing at six-foot-four and, after arriving at Gladbach from Ligue 1's Guingamp in 2019 for a fee of €12million, he has continued to grow as a goalscorer.

Through just 15 Bundesliga games this season, Thuram has matched his career-high tally of 10 league goals, including strikes against both Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

His recent run of form has seen him earn a late inclusion into France's World Cup squad as they look to defend their title, and although he may not receive a start, he was worked his way onto the radar of some of the world's elite clubs.

TOP STORY – 25-YEAR-OLD FRANCE INTERNATIONAL LIKELY AVAILABLE ON FREE TRANSFER

Thuram has spent four seasons with Gladbach, and this is looking like his last as he is yet to renew his contract ahead of its expiry date at the end of this campaign.

With a transfer value likely north of €40m, the ability to land a powerful striker entering his prime as a free agent is a deal too good to pass up for forward-hungry Premier League sides.

90min is reporting Tottenham sent scouts over to Germany recently to watch him play, while Liverpool and Arsenal are also mentioned as interested parties.

ROUND-UP

– According to Express, Cristiano Ronaldo could move to Chelsea after the departure of Thomas Tuchel, who was said to be the one blocking the idea.

– Express is also reporting Liverpool, Barcelona and Manchester City have identified 19-year-old Las Palmas midfielder Alberto Moleiro as a target. 

– Sky Sports Germany is reporting 22-year-old Salzburg striker Noah Okafor is available for a January transfer, with City, Liverpool and Milan named as suitors for the €40m-rated Switzerland international.

– Chelsea are confident they have done enough to secure 25-year-old RB Leipzig striker Christopher Nkunku in the January window, per 90min.

– According to Relevo, Barcelona are willing to let Memphis Depay leave on a free transfer in January.

Manchester City centre-back John Stones believes form and club minutes are irrelevant when it comes to the World Cup, and is backing Manchester United captain Harry Maguire to deliver on the big stage for England.

Stones and Maguire are experienced in leading their country deep into big tournaments, starting alongside each other in both the 2018 World Cup semi-final and the Euro 2020 final.

While Stones, 28, remains in terrific standing back at City, starting almost every game he is healthy for, it has been a different story for 29-year-old Maguire this campaign with United.

After starting the first two games of the Premier League season, a benching followed by a hamstring injury has seen him make only one start since, with Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane overtaking the club captain.

Despite Maguire's lack of a perfect preparation, Stones said he knows he can still perform at a high level if that is how manager Gareth Southgate chooses to line up.

"Whatever team or whatever system Gareth decides, if it's me and Harry we will use those bonds again," he said.

"They are too strong to be broken by game time, form, whatever it is. That kind of goes out the window when these moments hit.

"When I look at Harry, I see a partner. Through all our experiences he's had my back and I've had his.

"We've had so many games together, we've made a bond and a partnership together. We know what the other person is going to do and how we work best together. It clicks."

England kick off their campaign on November 21 against Iran, before closing out the group stage with fixtures against the United States and Wales.

Erling Haaland has been subject of a tongue-in-cheek loan bid from non-league Ashton United while Manchester City break for the World Cup.

FIFA's global tournament starts on Sunday in Qatar and leaves a schedule gap for the Premier League as elite-level club football pauses for the action in the Middle East.

Haaland will not be going to the World Cup after Norway failed to qualify, and seventh-tier side Ashton have lodged an offer to keep one of Europe's most prolific talisman fit throughout the break.

"It just makes sense," Michael Clegg told the Northern Premier League Premier Division side's website.

"City aren't playing, and we want to help by keeping Erling fit. It makes more sense than him playing golf for six weeks.

"We think he will be a great fit for us and would slot in with our squad dynamic really well."

The Norway striker has scored 18 top-flight goals this season since leaving Borussia Dortmund, with a further five in cup competitions taking him to 23 strikes.

City manager Pep Guardiola suggested Haaland would be allowed some time to rest before returning to training in early December.

While Ashton are based just over six miles away from City's Etihad Stadium, Clegg's side are keenly awaiting a response from City's delegates as to Haaland's interest in nearby non-league football.

"The club are yet to receive any response from Manchester City," the statement on the website added.

City are not back in Premier League action until a visit to Leeds United on December 28, six days after a crunch fourth-round EFL Cup tie at home to rivals Liverpool.

Jude Bellingham can leave Borussia Dortmund if Europe's big names come calling as the German club cannot "afford to fight financially", says their CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke.

Bellingham's strong start to the season has seen him register 12 goal involvements in all competitions, earning him a place in England's World Cup and garnering interest from a number of top clubs.

Liverpool, Real Madrid and Manchester City are all rumoured to be interested in the midfielder, who signed for Dortmund from Birmingham City as a 17-year-old in 2020 for an initial fee of £25million.

If Bellingham does leave, Dortmund reportedly want a fee of €100m, though that number could end up reaching €150m should a bidding war play out for his services.

While Bellingham is yet to publicly state any desire to leave Dortmund, Watzke knows will be difficult to keep hold of him if that changes and the top teams come calling.

"We will hold talks now, as soon as [the World Cup in] Qatar is over," Watzke told Bild. "Then we'll have a fundamental talk about what he would like.

"He just needs to tell us if he'd like to stay or if he'd like to go. In both cases we'll talk about it very pleasantly and reasonably together.

"In general we can imagine that he'd stay with us, but we can't behave as if this topic wasn't on the table.

"If he says 'I'd like to do something else,' then the really big [clubs] in Europe will be there and we can't afford to fight financially."

Barcelona are expected to be major players in the January transfer market after a busy pre-season.

The 26-time Spanish champions are top of LaLiga at the World Cup break but crashed out of the Champions League.

The Blaugrana are still battling financial challenges, while they also have some unsettled players on their books.

TOP STORY – BARCELONA PLOTTING JANUARY GUNDOGAN MOVE

Mundo Deportivo reports that Barcelona are planning to move for Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan in January, with fears Franck Kessie may exit soon.

The Blaugrana are eager to bolster their midfield options and a move for Bernardo Silva appears difficult despite their ongoing interest.

As a result, Barca have turned to the Germany international, whose contract with City ends in mid-2023. The report also claims the Catalans could move for Leicester City's Youri Tielemans.

Kessie has been linked with Premier League clubs Aston Villa and Fulham by Spanish media outlet Sport. The Ivorian only joined in July, but the club's financial position means they are open to letting players go.

ROUND-UP

– Despite being linked with a long list of names, Sport claims Barcelona will only make one signing in the January transfer window, with a right-back seen as a priority. Manchester United's Diogo Dalot, Bayern Munich's Benjamin Pavard and Villarreal's Juan Foyth are among their options.

– New Aston Villa heard coach Unai Emery wants to bring in Real Madrid's Eden Hazard and Nacho Fernandez, according to El Nacional. Spanish boss Emery left Villarreal for the Villans last month.

– Juventus are ready to offer a new contract to French midfielder Adrien Rabiot, claims Tuttosport. Rabiot had been linked with an off-season move, with Manchester United mentioned as a possible destination, but has impressed this term.

– La Gazzetta dello Sport claims Milan are putting together a bid for Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech in January. The Moroccan winger is expected to cost less than €20million (£17.5m).

– Inter are keen on Valencia left-back Jesus Vazquez in January and a mid-2023 move for Borussia Monchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram, reports La Gazetta dello Sport.

Pep Guardiola believes he would struggle to find a better club than Manchester City, but he still will not discuss his long-term future at the Etihad Stadium.

The Spaniard's contract with the Premier League champions expires at the end of this campaign, by which point he will have had seven years at the helm.

In that period, he has four league titles, four EFL Cups and one FA Cup, although the Champions League crown he was brought in to help secure continues to elude him.

Guardiola's stay at City now matches the time he spent at former clubs Barcelona and Bayern Munich combined, and he acknowledges his working conditions could hardly be better.

"[Would I] stay in another place for seven years? No, I don't think so," he told The Athletic. "It is difficult to find what I have here as a manager.

"To be a manager for a long time, you need to be so supported. The results help a lot, that is undeniable. In this world, they sack you, they fire you, we know that.

"But at big clubs, part of the success of the manager is the chairman, the sporting director especially, the CEOs and all the people here.

"It goes to the media, fans and players. There is stability. This is why I think only in few clubs this can happen."

With the club season set to take a hiatus for the World Cup imminently, City could move to tie Guardiola down to a new long-term deal.

The manager dodged the question on imminent talks, however, only adding: "I've said many times, I don't talk about that.

"Everything is under control. The decision will be made together with the club the moment it has to be made. When we have time, when the moment we feel it both sides, we take a decision."