Kalou: Striker Salomon Kalou has vowed to stay at Lille at least until the end of the season. Third-placed Lille travel to face St Etienne in Ligue 1 today, and news of former Chelsea frontman Kalou’s commitment should lift them. The 28-year-old had been linked with a return to the English Premier League, but said: “I’m happy here. Why change clubs mid-season? We started well and I would like to continue to the end.

England: England will sign off for the World Cup finals with a home friendly against Peru, then take on Ecuador and Honduras in Miami before heading to Rio de Janeiro. The South-American themed internationals will provide manager Roy Hodgson with a final chance to prepare his squad for a testing World Cup group which begins with a clash against Italy in Manaus on June 14. Peru will visit Wembley on May 30 with England then taking on Ecuador on June 4 and Honduras on June 7, both in Miami’s Sunlife Stadium.

Distin: Everton defender Sylvain Distin has returned to full training and is likely to be in the squad for Monday’s trip to West Brom. The French centre-back has missed three matches with a hamstring problem but is back in contention after stepping up his workload during the club’s warm-weather training in Tenerife. “Sylvain has come through four sessions now and has had no reaction,” manager Roberto Martinez told evertonfc.com.

Ivanov: Basel’s Bulgaria centre back Ivan Ivanov needs surgery and will be out for several months after damaging the cruciate ligament in his right knee during his Swiss team’s friendly against Eintracht Braunschweig on Tuesday. “It’s more serious than I thought,” the 25-year-old, who was named Bulgaria’s Footballer of the Year in December, told local media yesterday. “I’ll undergo a surgery in the coming days.”

Chalobah: Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka has made further use of his friendship with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho by landing England U-21 player Nathaniel Chalobah. Karanka brought in Kenneth Omeruo last week and he has now moved for the midfielder Chalobah, bringing him to the Riverside on loan until the end of the season.

King’s Cup: Last 16, second leg – Villarreal vs Real Sociedad 0-1 (aggregate: 0-1).

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