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FOOTBALL

Sweden’s ‘next Zlatan’ set to snub Real Madrid for Dortmund

Swedish football prodigy Alexander Isak -- dubbed the next Zlatan Ibrahimovic -- is on the verge of signing with Borussia Dortmund, snubbing an offer from Real Madrid, Swedish daily Aftonbladet reported on Saturday.

Sweden's 'next Zlatan' set to snub Real Madrid for Dortmund
Alexander Isak shows off his skills at a match between Sweden and Slovakia. Photo: Adam Ihse / TT / Kod 9200
“Alexander Isak looks set to snub Real Madrid. Instead the 17-year-old has apparently decided on another option: the big German club Borussia Dortmund,” the paper wrote, citing unnamed sources close to the club.
   
Isak, who earlier this month became Sweden's youngest ever international goalscorer at 17 years and 113 days, had been close to a deal with the Spanish club, according to Spanish media reports a week ago.
   
Aftonbladet said the transfer fee looked set to exceed 82 million kronor (8.6 million euros, $9.2 million).
   
If confirmed, Isak's move to Dortmund could be part of a bigger switch-up at the Bundesliga club.
   
Star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang admitted on Friday that he could leave Borussia Dortmund in the summer.
   
The German league's top scorer so far this season with 16 goals in his 15 Bundesliga games, he has a Dortmund contract until 2020.
   
However, he has repeatedly expressed his desire to eventually join Real Madrid, to keep a promise he made to his grandfather just before he died.
   
“You know, some players have ambitions, so they leave to see something else,” the 27-year-old said.
   
Swedish sensation Isak, who has been courted by many top European clubs, currently plays in Sweden with AIK.
   
Born in a Stockholm suburb to Eritrean parents, he scored 10 goals in his debut season at AIK in 2016.

RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

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