Cafu: Brazil captain Cafu has extended his contract with Milan for a further year signing up until June 30, 2007. Cafu's current deal with Milan was due to run out at the end of this season and there had been reports that he was considering a return to Brazil. The 35-year-old attacking right-back joined Milan in 2003 after spending six seasons with Roma and won the Italian title in his first season at the San Siro.
Ambrosini: Milan midfielder Massimo Ambrosini will miss the rest of the season after suffering a leg injury in Saturday's Serie A win over Messina. Milan said Ambrosini had suffered a fibula fracture in his left leg and would be sidelined for a month.
Ronaldinho: Ronaldinho has overtaken David Beckham as the world's highest-paid player, according to France Football. Beckham, who has topped the list for the last three years, is now second behind the Barcelona forward. Ronaldinho enjoyed an annual revenue of 23 million euros. Beckham follows with 18 million and Ronaldo is in third place, having pocketed 17.4 million euros. Wayne Rooney is fourth in the list with an income of 16.1 million euros. France Football also published a top-10 list for managers, headed by Chelsea's Jose Mourinho on 10.9 million euros. England's Sven-Goran Eriksson follows with 6.9 million.
Malesani: Italian coach Alberto Malesani is expected to leave Panathinaikos. Malesani, who commutes on a weekly basis from Verona, is believed to be unhappy with the travel and the club has been disappointed with results since he took over in February 2005. With two rounds of the Greek championship remaining, Panathinaikos are third in the table, two points behind AEK Athens who look set to take the second Champions League place. Olympiakos clinched the title earlier this month.
Chelsea: English champions Chelsea agreed yesterday to give their backing to an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) project to develop grass-roots football in China. Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon and AFC president Mohamed bin Hammam signed a memorandum of understanding that the London club would provide technical and financial assistance to the Vision China development programme.
England coach: Sepp Blatter gave a heavy hint yesterday that he would much prefer England to appoint an English coach instead of another foreigner. The FIFA president told reporters that in his personal opinion it was a tradition for the major football nations to employ only indigenous coaches. "I am very surprised that England changed this way and are considering it again. I don't think it has happened in other countries like Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil and Argentina." British media reported at the weekend Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari had emerged as a serious candidate, prompting bookmakers to slash his odds from 16-1 to 2-1.