Manchester City paid a record £175,000 to sign 13-year-old defender Finley Burns from third-tier Southend United last week, reports said yesterday.
London’s The Times said the overall cost of the transfer could rise to more than £250,000 if Burns goes on to sign professional terms at the Abu Dhabi-owned club.
The Times said City’s outlay was unprecedented for a 13-year-old, with the club paying almost £150,000 more than they were obliged to under the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP).
Barca wait for win at the Anoeta ends
Luis Enrique warned his Barcelona players that their job was only half done after a 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad in their Copa del Rey quarter-final first leg.
Barcelona won at the Anoeta for the first time in nearly a decade after Neymar scored from a penalty. It was the Catalans’ first win in San Sebastian since a 2-0 La Liga success in May 2007, and Enrique was pleased to consign that particular record to the history books.
“As a player I had won here, but as a coach I hadn’t, it is little more than an anecdote now.”
British man dies at WCup venue
The organisers of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar have announced a British man died on Thursday while working on one of the tournament’s venues.
In a statement posted on its website, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy said: “A 40-year-old British male lost his life working on Khalifa International Stadium.
“The relevant authorities have been notified and the next of kin has been informed.”
The multi-purpose venue in Doha is being extended from its current capacity of 40,000 to 68,000. It is scheduled to host World Cup matches up to the quarter-final stage in 2022.
Rahman out
Ghana defender Baba Rahman and two Burkina Faso players were ruled out of the African Nations Cup finals, adding to a growing list of early injury casualties from the tournament in Gabon.
Burkina Faso’s Jonathan Pitroipa was ruled out with a muscle tear while team-mate Jonathan Zongo suffered a cruciate ligament rupture.
The 22-year-old Rahman, who is on loan from Chelsea at Bundesliga side Schalke 04 this season, may require surgery for a knee ligament injury he suffered in his team’s 1-0 win over Uganda in their opening Group D match on Tuesday.
Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina hurt his back in Gabon’s opening game when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Guinea Bissau and missed Wednesday’s draw with Burkina Faso.
Saido Berahino negotiations stall
Stoke City manager Mark Hughes is frustrated at the lack of progress in the club’s pursuit of West Bromwich Albion forward Saido Berahino, saying negotiations had reached an impasse.
Berahino, who has not played since September 10, has made no secret of his desire to leave the West Midlands club.
“It sways from one end of the scale to another to be honest,” Hughes said.
“I said last week that I was more confident that something would be done, but the last few days things haven’t really progressed as we would have liked,” he added.
West Brom sign midfielder Livermore
West Bromwich Albion have signed midfielder Jake Livermore on a four-and-a-half-year deal from Hull City.
Although no financial details of the transfer were released, media reports suggested West Brom paid £10 million to lure the 27-year-old Livermore to the Hawthorns.
Despite scoring only one goal in 20 league starts for Hull this season, Livermore, who spent two-and-a-half years at the KCOM Stadium, has impressed both in central midfield and also at centre-back.
Scotsman takes over at Spanish club
Spanish third-tier team CD Tudelano have taken the unusual step of appointing Scottish businessman John Clarkson as coach on an 18-month contract without a salary.
Clarkson, who owns a care home business in East Anglia, takes over a side who are ninth in Group 1 of the regionalised Second Division B. The 60-year-old has previous experience as coach of a number of non-league clubs in England and Spain.
His aim is to turn Tudelano, who are based in the Navarre region of northern Spain, into professional club by winning promotion to the Second Division A.
Reports said Clarkson will invest €50,000 in the financially-troubled club during his first season and €150,000 in the next one.