Song joins West Ham on loan

Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura has been appointed as the secretary general of FIFA, becoming the first female to hold the position.

Samoura takes up the position following 21 years working for the United Nations, replacing Jerome Valcke who was sacked in February amid allegations linking him to a scheme that intended to sell tickets for the 2014 World Cup at above their face value.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino believes the Senegalese can help improve the way the organisation operates and support its strive towards greater transparency.

Fatma is a woman with international experience and vision who has worked on some of the most challenging issues of our time, said Infantino during the 66th FIFA Congress in Mexico City.

She has a proven ability to build and…

France captain Wendie Renard is willing to return to international football after participating in a player revolt which led to the sacking of head coach Corinne Diacre.

Last month, Lyon defender Renard announced she would not play at this year s World Cup under Diacre s leadership, a stance which was replicated by forwards Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto.

Diacre subsequently accused her detractors of participating in a destabilisation operation , but the French Football Federation (FFF) removed her from her post following a meeting of its executive committee.

The FFF said a fracture between Diacre and senior players had reached a point of no return which harms the interests of the national team .

In the aftermath of that decision, Renard –…

Market: Watford win

Odds: 7/10 @

Looking to claim back-to-back Championship victories on Saturday afternoon, Watford will welcome Wigan to Vicarage Road.

Starting with the hosts, while many might have been shocked to see Chris Wilder arrive at Vicarage Road earlier in the month, the Hornets were last seen putting in a stellar display. Laying down a play-off marker in midweek as they cruised their way to a 3-0 romp against Birmingham, the former Sheffield United boss will be calling on his new squad to find some recent stability. With their sights still firmly set on trying to secure a Premier League return in 2023, the Hornets should be smelling the chance to claim back-to-back Championship victories here. Drawing a line under their three-match winless run, Wild…

Riyad Mahrez has found a new level since ending his Leicester City exile, according to manager Claude Puel.

Mahrez was heavily linked with a deadline-day switch to Manchester City after an impressive start to the 2017-18 campaign, scoring eight and creating seven in the Premier League.

The reported £60million deal was rebuffed by the Foxes, a decision that saw Mahrez miss a number of training sessions and two league matches.

He eventually returned to the squad for Leicester s trip to Manchester City on Saturday, a game Puel s men lost 5-1, with Mahrez coming off the bench after 62 minutes.

He could make his first start since January 20 in the FA Cup against Sheffield United this weekend, with Puel saying the 26-year-old looks better than ever.

…

Spanish media outlet Diario AS claims that Real Madrid already have a plan set in motion for their first summer signing.

It is being discussed that Los Blancos plan to re-sign Omar Mascarell from Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt.

The 25-year-old defensive midfielder joined the German outfit in 2016 after a couple of loan spells at Derby County and Sporting Gijon but he’s done more than enough to persuade the Los Blancos hierarchy to exercise the buyback clause and bring the Spaniard back to Santiago Bernabeu.

Diario AS claims Real Madrid will activate the €4 million clause as they are confident Mascarell can subsequently be sold for up to €15 million.

Mascarell’s fine performances for Eintracht Frankfurt have attracted interest elsewhere from …

Bundesliga side Stuttgart have moved to confirm reports linking them with a summer move for Groningen winger Filip Kostic.

The Swabians have yet to sign a replacement for Ibrahima Traore, who left the club to join Borussia M gladbach, but they seem to have set their sights on the Serbian starlet.

Stuttgart sporting director Jochen Schneider has confessed that they are indeed keeping close tabs on Kostic.

“Kostic is one of the most interesting players we have on our list,” Schneider .

Filip Kostic joined Groningen from Serbian side Radnicki Kragujevac in the summer of 2012, but had a very poor start to his career in Holland, starting just one Eredivisie fixture during his first season.

However, he has since showed massive improvement and was o…

Real Madrid winger Angel di Maria believes Saturday s triumph over Atletico can serve as a springboard in their Champions League semi-final.

Madrid were humbled 4-1 by Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their semi-final tie, with prolific marksman Robert Lewandowski scoring all four goals in a memorable performance.

Jose Mourinho s side returned to winning ways at the weekend, edging city rivals Atletico 2-1 in their battle for second position in La Liga.

And di Maria, who netted the match-winning goal, believes the derby win can be the catalyst for redemption against Dortmund at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.

Winning this match is extra motivation and will help us to be at our best on Tuesday, the 25-year-old told reporters. We do not take that match as lo…

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been thrilled with the attitude of ambitious midfielder Paul Pogba.

Pogba has once again seen speculation about his future thrust into the spotlight after his agent Mino Raiola recently declared his time at Old Trafford was coming to an end.

Solskjaer has spoken to the World Cup winner but is determined to keep the content of their discussions private.

His main priority is Pogba s dedicated approach to matches and training, which is leading to improved performances.

Paul, he wants to play, he wants to train, Solskjaer said to Sky Sports.

He enjoys football, he wants success, he s ambitious, so when he s on the pitch and on the training field I see a boy who enjoys his football that s what I care ab…

Eastern Conference leaders New England Revolution rallied late but went down 3-2 at home to bottom club Toronto in the MLS on Wednesday.

New England sensationally trailed 3-0 within half an hour against lowly Toronto after early strikes from Yeferson Soteldo, Kemar Lawrence and Tsubasa Endoh.

Japanese midfielder Endoh s strike was spectacular, cutting inside before lashing a fine left-foot curling shot home in the 24th minute.

Revolution came into the game after stumbling in their past two games, with a draw and a loss, following six straight victories, and the defeat extended that winless run.

New England fought in the second half, with Spanish midfielder Carles Gil pulling one back in the 56th minute.

In the 78th minute it was 3-2 when Ghanaian…

Robert Lewandowski is the ultimate team player but Poland will not survive at Euro 2016 unless their captain rediscovers his ruthless streak. 

Although Adam Nawalka s talented team edged past Switzerland on penalties in Saint-Etienne on Saturday to book a quarter-final against Croatia or Portugal, the last four may prove beyond them without harnessing the dormant threat posed by one of the Bundesliga s most dangerous players.

It was perhaps understandable when a journalist from Portugal, speaking before the first round-of-16 tie, drew parallels between the struggles of his own country s figurehead and the blanks Lewandowski had fired in three games at this European Championship.

Poland coach Adam Nawalka appeared close to anger when he brushed aside the suggesti…