The agent of Yaya Toure has claimed the reason the Manchester City midfielder has failed to win any of football’s top individual awards is because he is black.
Dmitri Seluk said the Ivory Coast international would have finished higher than third place in the PFA and FWA Footballer of the Year awards, and higher than 12th in the Ballon d’Or voting, if he was white.
Seluk told The Times: “If he was white, 100 per cent he would have won one of those top awards.
“I don’t want to talk too much about racism or the politics of football, but he does not get the praise he should get. Yaya has three times in a row won the African Player of the Year, but it is different with the other awards.”
Magpies close in on Cabella
Newcastle are edging closer to signing summer target Remy Cabella after holding productive talks with Montpellier.
However, despite the emergence of reports from France quoting the selling club’s president Louis Nicollin claiming they and the Magpies have struck a deal, Press Association Sport reported there is still work to be done before manager Alan Pardew gets his man.
Still, a deal may now be there in principle, although sources on Tyneside were counselling that a decisive breakthrough may take more than 48 hours.
Baggies sign defender Pocognoli
Belgium defender Sebastien Pocognoli has joined West Brom on a three-year contract from Hannover.
The Baggies announced yesterday they had paid an undisclosed fee for the 26-year-old left-back who saw his chances of going to the World Cup ended by injury.
The 12-cap international has also played for Genk, AZ Alkmaar and Standard Liege.
He is new boss Alan Irvine’s fourth summer signing and replaces Billy Jones, who signed for Sunderland.
Spurs stadium plans receive boost
Tottenham’s plans to build a new stadium took a major step forward on Friday after the club were granted permission to use a site earmarked for the project.
Ministers have agreed with a compulsory purchase order made by the London Borough of Haringey, which will enable the Northumberland Development Project to continue.
More than 95 per cent of the three-hectare site has already been approved and the order was requested to allow the final two of three phases to go ahead.
Earlier this year, Tottenham expressed their hope that the new 56,250-capacity stadium would be ready by 2017. The current ground capacity of White Hart Lane is approximately 36,240.
Roma swoop for Emanuelson
Roma have signed free agent midfielder Urby Emanuelson on a one-year contract, the club said.
The former Dutch international left Milan, where he won the Serie A title in 2011, at the end of last season.
Emanuelson’s contract offers the Champions League qualifiers the chance to extend his stay until June 2016.
Roma, runners-up to Juventus in Serie A last season, also signed former England and Chelsea left back Ashley Cole on a free transfer last week and have completed the loan signing of Turkey midfielder Salih Ucan from Fenerbahce.
Robinho keen on MLS move
Milan have announced they are negotiating the sale of Brazilian forward Robinho to new Major League Soccer franchise Orlando City.
The 30-year-old is under contract with the Italian giants until June 2016 but has expressed his wish to leave the San Siro outfit this summer after four years at the club.
“Robinho wants to go to the Major League Soccer,” Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani said to www.acmilan.com.
“There is a negotiation in place with Orlando, the same club that Kaka joined.
“They are keen to take Robinho and the player is willing to leave.
“We are not close to completing the deal so we shall see.
“In any case we have an excellent rapport with Robinho.”
Scottish return cheers Zaliukas
Marius Zaliukas revealed his return to Scotland felt like coming home after the former Hearts captain signed a two-year contract with Rangers.
The Lithuania central defender will jet out to North America with his new team-mates at the weekend after a successful trial period.
Zaliukas will face his former club and their Edinburgh rivals Hibernian in an exciting Scottish Championship and he is looking forward to the challenge of winning promotion.
“I think the league is going to be very interesting and I’m happy to be back in Scotland,” the 30-year-old said as he was introduced to the media at Ibrox.
“The lifestyle and mentality suits me best. I spent seven years in Scotland and I’m used to this country. To be honest it feels like home.”