Alex McLeish is the front-runner to take over at Ibrox as Mark Warburton and Rangers head for a fractious parting of the ways.
McLeish is believed to be at the top of a list of potential candidates should Rangers decide to quickly appoint a new manager until the end of the season. The club announced on Friday night that they had accepted Warburton’s resignation, although the Englishman denied he had quit.
Former Ibrox boss McLeish has been out of management since leaving Egyptian side Zamalek in May last year.
Hughes defends FA stance on privacy
Stoke manager Mark Hughes has defended the English FA’s policy of not naming players who fail tests for recreational drugs.
The FA stance has been under scrutiny since it was reported Saido Berahino served an eight-week ban at his former club West Brom after a positive test.
But West Brom kept this secret, telling fans and journalists the England Under-21 striker was short of match fitness, with the FA not revealing the ban either.
“It was a low-level misdemeanour – it was eight weeks, not like a two-year ban,” he said.
“If it had been significant and a constant problem then he would have got a longer ban. I think confidentiality, given the level of the misdemeanour, was important.”
Real won’t poach De Gea – Mourinho
Jose Mourinho does not expect any underhand tactics from his “friends” at Real Madrid amid growing talk of a summer move for David De Gea.
The 26-year-old goalkeeper has won the club’s Player of the Year award for the past three seasons and talk is now building over a renewed bid for the Spain goalkeeper by Real.
“I can say that with Mr Perez and his right arm Jose Angel Sanchez we are friends forever. Friends speak, friends are open, friends don’t hide things,” Mourinho said.
“So if at the end of the season I want one of their players or they want one of my players, it is not through the press that we are going to change messages we will be very direct.”
Wenger will go says Wright
Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright believes manager Arsene Wenger will leave the club at the end of the season.
The 67-year-old is out of contract in the summer and has yet to decide where his future lies.
“I was with the boss last night, and if I’m going to be totally honest, I get the impression that that’s it,” the 53-year-old said.
“I was with him for a few hours. He didn’t say to me, ‘I’m leaving at the end of the season’, but I get the impression.
“He actually mentioned when we were talking that he’s coming to the end. I’ve never heard him say that.”
Liverpool target Williams to stay put
Liverpool target Inaki Williams has told Sportium that Athletic Bilbao is his “home” amid speculation linking him with a move away from San Mames.
Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus are all reported to be interested in signing Williams, who has a €50m release clause.
However, the 22-year-old, who has one cap for Spain, said he is happy in La Liga.
“There are a lot of rumours going around but I’m relaxed about it,” he said. “If other clubs are looking at me it’s because I’m doing well. I’m very lucky.
“If I had to leave Athletic tomorrow I’d be completely upfront with the club. They have given me everything.
“I don’t want a change of scenery, that’s my preferred option at the moment.”
Pasalic wants to stay at Milan
Mario Pasalic’s agent Marko Naletilic says his client is happy at Milan and would consider staying there after his season-long loan from Chelsea expires in the summer.
The 22-year-old midfielder scored the winning goal as the Rossoneri defeated Bologna 1-0 with only nine men on Wednesday, and he has become a regular in Vincenzo Montella’s side.
“We’ve still got to wait and see because he’s a Chelsea player and we need to decide what to do at the end of the season,” Naletilic said.
“The lad is happy at Milan, but I don’t want to make any predictions now. We would be willing to negotiate the possibility of him staying at Milan.”
Stampede at Angola stadium kills 17
At least 17 people died and scores were injured in a stampede at an Angolan football match on Friday when hundreds of supporters stormed the stadium gates, a medical official said.
The crowd in the northern city of Uige pushed against barriers after failing to gain entry before the start of the match. Many fell and were trampled, it said.
Ernesto Luis, director general of the local hospital, told Reuters people had suffocated in the crush.
“Some people had to walk on top of other people. There were 76 casualties, of whom 17 died,” he said. Five of the injured were in a serious condition.