Former Crystal Palace striker Emmanuel Adebayor has joined Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir on an 18-month deal.
The 32-year-old has been without a club since leaving Palace in the summer but did feature for Togo in the African Nations Cup this month.
Adebayor, who also took in spells with Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham during a ten-year stint in England, was unable to prevent Togo from making a group-stage exit in Gabon.
Istanbul Basaksehir are currently second in the Turkish Super Lig, two points behind Besiktas.
Arsenal tie akin to WCup final – Doswell
Sutton manager Paul Doswell has described drawing Arsenal in the FA Cup fifth round as the club’s equivalent of the World Cup final.
The Vanarama National League side are celebrating after being rewarded for their shock victory over Championship Leeds on Sunday with a glamorous home draw in the last 16.
The tie will see Arsene Wenger’s men play on the 3G pitch at Sutton’s 5,000-capacity Gander Green Lane home.
Doswell said: “We talked about the Wimbledon game being our cup final, then the Leeds game being like the European Cup final, so this is going to be like the World Cup final. It is as big as that for us.”
La Liga to introduce video referees
Video referees are expected to be used in Spanish soccer by the 2018-19 season when they are fully approved by FIFA, La Liga president Javier Tebas has said.
Tebas was speaking after Sunday’s 1-1 draw between Barce-lona and Real Betis, a game in which Barca appeared to have been denied a clear goal.
Tebas said: “We will be testing it from next season in La Liga.
“If FIFA finally approve it, we will start using it from July 2018.”
Unlike other top leagues, La Liga does not have goal-line technology available because it is considered too expensive to be put in place.
Hull City’s Mason leaves hospital
Hull City midfielder Ryan Mason has been discharged from hospital just over a week after fracturing his skull in a clash of heads during a league game at Chelsea.
Mason, 25, suffered the injury in a collision with Chelsea defender Gary Cahill on Jan. 22 and was taken to hospital for surgery after being treated for 10 minutes on the field.
In a statement, Hull said: “Ryan will now continue his recovery and early stages of rehabilitation at home and the club would once again like to place on record its thanks to everybody who has been involved in Ryan’s care so far.”
Campbell gets Trinidad role
Former England defender and Tottenham captain Sol Campbell has been named as the new assistant coach of Trinidad and Tobago.
The 42-year-old Londoner, who made over 500 Premier League appearances across his years with Spurs, Arsenal, Portsmouth and Newcastle, will work with new national boss Dennis Lawrence.
A statement published by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) said Campbell would link up with former Swansea City player Lawrence, also 42, ahead of a home-based training camp late next month.
While Campbell has had no involvement in the professional game since retiring in 2012, Lawrence began coaching with Wigan’s backroom team, following Roberto Martinez to Everton four years ago.
Fans offered deal to ‘delete’ Payet
After selling Dimitri Payet to Marseille for £25 million, West Ham United are offering fans a cut-price deal to get the French forward off their backs as well.
“Bring back your Payet shirt to any of the club shops & you will get a new replacement for £25,” the Premier League club’s vice-chairman Karen Brady said on Twitter in response to a query.
Basic short-sleeved 2016-17 West Ham team shirts without a player’s name on the back usually retail at £55 each but are currently reduced to £36.66 in a sale at the club’s online store.
Payet had become a fan favourite at the Hammers after he joined from Marseille in 2015.
Jamaican teen signs for Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen have signed 19-year-old Jamaican winger Leon Bailey from Belgium’s Racing Genk on a contract to 2022.
Bailey, who played for Genk in the Europa League and scored four goals in six matches, is also eligible for the Champions League, the German club said.
Leverkusen are through to the round of 16 in Europe’s top club competition and face Spain’s Atletico Madrid next month.
Bailey, who joined Genk in 2015, was reportedly a target for several top European clubs before being signed by Bayer Leverkusen.