Buffon: Juventus and Italy veteran Gianluigi Buffon has been voted the greatest goalkeeper of all time by France Football readers. Buffon, 38, led the poll with 44 per cent of the votes. He finished ahead of Frenchman Fabien Barthez (17 per cent), Lev Yashin (seven per cent) and Oliver Kahn (seven per cent).

Oviedo: Everton utility man Bryan Oviedo’s recent impressive performances have been rewar-ded with a new three-and-a-half-year contract. The Costa Rica international has signed the deal after showing this season he is back to his best following an horrific double fracture of his leg two years ago. “I am really happy to commit my future to Everton because this is a special club,” said Oviedo, who joined from Copenhagen in the summer of 2012.

Bent: Former Premier League footballer Marcus Bent has escaped being sent to jail as he was sentenced for confronting two officers with a meat cleaver and a kitchen knife while in a “delusional” state under the influence of cocaine. Bent, 37, was sentenced to a 12-month jail sentence suspended for two years.

Oyarzabal: Real Sociedad winger Mikel Oyarzabal has extended his contract at the Primera Division club until 2021. The 18-year-old’s contract had been due to expire in 2018, but he has now signed a three-year extension after an impressive breakthrough season at the Anoeta. Eibar-born Oyarzabal has made 10 appearances this term and scored his first goal in Sociedad’s 5-0 league win at Espanyol last week.

McGuinness: Manchester United have parted company with youth coach Paul McGuinness as the revamp of their academy begins. McGuinness, himself a United academy product and son of former United manager Wilf McGuinness, has been in charge of the Under-18s since 2005 but has seen a dramatic slump in standards, with his side bottom of the Premier League’s Under-18 North Division with only 11 points from 19 matches this season.