Cristiano Ronaldo gives Al Nassr first-leg advantage in AFC Champions League tie

A fully fit Arouna Kone is desperate to prove he can cut it at Everton next season.

The Ivory Coast striker moved to Goodison Park from Wigan Athletic in July 2013, but endured a frustrating 13-month spell on the sidelines due to a serious knee injury sustained in November of the same year.

Kone returned to make 16 appearances in all competitions last term, scoring just once in a 3-2 Premier League defeat at Newcastle United in December.

The 31-year-old is eager to kick-start his career on Merseyside and believes he will feel the benefit of a full pre-season.

In terms of my injury, last season really helped me to come back and get fitter,  he told Everton s official website.

When I left Wigan, I knew I was coming to a bigger club, a successfu…

PSG’s Nene hints at Santos switch

Paris Saint-Germain forward Nene has admitted he is flattered by the reported interest from Santos.

The Brazilian giants yesterday revealed they were in negotiations to sign Robinho from AC Milan, and they could now sign another high-profile player from Europe.

PSG star Nene has dropped a hint that he could join Santos in the January transfer window.

“I do not know if I will return to Brazil. I’d like to, but I could continue in Europe,” the 31-year-old told reporters at the San Paulo airport.

“In any case, it would be a great honour to be able to play alongside a player like Neymar. This is a club I know, I did not play there, but they are great.”

Nene is eager to leave Parc des Princes in se…

Chelsea and Man Utd keen on Andre Gomes

Spanish media outlet Superdeporte has suggested that Chelsea and Manchester United are among clubs keeping a close eye on Valencia hotshot Andre Gomes.

The Portuguese starlet only joined los Che in the summer as the investment company owned by new Valencia patron Peter Lim had earlier purchased his contract, but he has largely impressed at Mestalla.

Gomes had a big role to play as Valencia climbed to top 4 in La Liga, scoring 2 goals in 8 league outings.

As a result, the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United have been casting admiring glances his way, but los Che are desperate to ward off interest in the player s services.

Valencia plan to offer the 21-year-old a new and improved deal that would also see h…

Portuguese daily newspaper that FC Porto have reignited their interest in Brazilian midfielder Bernard.

The Dragons were very close to signing the footballer two years ago, but he eventually opted to join Shakhtar Donetsk.

That did not prove a very good decision seeing as Bernard struggled to prove his worth to the team, starting mere 15 league games up to date.

And with the situation in the country still not stable, it is believed that the Brazilian would consider another offer from FC Porto.

According to O Jogo, the Dragons have already submitted a €17 million proposal for the player s services and are now awaiting a response from Shakhtar.

Not so long ago, Bernard was considered one of Brazil s hottest prospects, but a move to Ukraine did n…

Mesut Ozil is excited and happy to be nearing a switch to Fenerbahce, with the Turkish club confirming negotiations with the Arsenal playmaker are ongoing.

The 32-year-old has not featured for Arsenal since March and has been heavily linked with a move to Super Lig giants Fenerbahce this window.

Ozil has dropped hints on social media over the past few days that a transfer could be close, ending his seven-and-a-half-year spell at Emirates Stadium.

It has now been confirmed that Fenerbahce are in discussions with the former Germany international over what is expected to be a free transfer.

Ozil, who is contracted to Arsenal until the end of the campaign, could imminently complete a move to the club he supported as a boy.

— Mesut Özil (@M…

Frank Lampard is paying no attention to names being linked with replacing him at Stamford Bridge as the pressure increases on the Chelsea manager.

Since going top of the Premier League in December with a win over Leeds United, Chelsea have taken just seven points from a possible 24.

A 2-0 defeat at Leicester City made it two wins in eight league games for the Blues, who are now 11 points adrift of leaders Manchester United.

RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann is among those have been touted as potential successors to Lampard.

But asked about such speculation, Lampard told a media conference ahead of a fourth-round FA Cup tie with Luton Town: I don t listen to it.

It s only everywhere if you want to go and scroll through social media and I don t do …

Never mind Kaka or Zinedine Zidane. When it comes to record transfers, the man with a suitcase permanently at the ready is Lutz Pfannenstiel, a globetrotting German who s just signed for his 24th club.

After Malaysia, Canada, Australia and Albania to name but a few Pfannenstiel recently headed for Norway, where last week he signed a contract as player-coach of Oslo-based third-division club Mangerud Star.

The career of the 35-year-old goalkeeper certainly doesn t compare to that of the world s most expensive player, France s Zidane, who moved from Juventus to Real Madrid for 75 million euros in 2001.

But he has probably seen more of the world as well as experiencing at first hand the game s underbelly.

It has also given him, in place of a bulging trophy …

Gus Poyet was named Tuesday as the new manager of English lower league strugglers Brighton and Hove Albion.

The 41-year-old Uruguayan, a former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, left Spurs as assistant manager in October 2008 when Juande Ramos was forced out of White Hart Lane.

Poyet has signed a deal with south coast side Brighton, batting to avoid relegation from League One, English football s third tier, until the end of next season.

He will be assisted by former Tottenham team-mate Mauricio Tarrico.

Poyet replaces Russell Slade, who left the Seagulls 10 days ago.

Gus is one of the best up and coming young coaches in this country, said Brighton chairman Tony Bloom. We are delighted to give him his first opportunity in management.

…

The FA Cup has thrown up an unlikely Anfield return for Emile Heskey, as Bolton Wanderers visit his former club Liverpool in round four.

Emile Heskey is relishing an emotional return to Liverpool when current employers Bolton Wanderers visit Anfield in round four of the FA Cup on Saturday.

Ex-England striker Heskey enjoyed a successful four-year spell on Merseyside and collected medals in the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup before departing for Birmingham City at the end of the 2003-04 season.

Further spells at Wigan Athletic and Aston Villa followed, but it appeared unlikely he would line up against Liverpool again when he joined Newcastle Jets in Australia s A-League in September 2012.

However, the 37-year-old forward was handed a return to English foot…

FIFA has imposed a lifetime ban from all football-related activities on former vice-president Alfredo Hawit and ex-Honduran Football Association president Rafael Callejas.

In April, Hawitt who is also a former president of CONCACAF pleaded guilty to four counts of racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

Callejas, who led the Honduras football association from 2002 to 2015, entered a guilty plea to charges of racketeering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy in a New York court in March.

Following its own investigation into the allegedly illegal payments he received from sports marketing companies, FIFA s independent Ethics Committee has deemed that both men breached a number of the organisation s rules, including those r…