Mutko may drop RFU presidency after taking deputy PM job
October 21 – Newly appointed Russian deputy prime minister Vitaly Mutko, promoted from sports minister, says he may stand down as president of the Russian Football Union (RFU).
Hull City sale turns into three-horse race as Allams play waiting game
October 21 – The sale of Premier League Hull City now appears to be a race between three different parties, two of them from China and a third group believed to be predominantly European money.
Traffic’s Davidson changes plea to guilty blowing US corruption case wide open
By Andrew Warshaw
October 21 – American marketing executive Aaron Davidson has pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in the US-led probe into football corruption and has had his trial set for April 24 next year.
Ceferin draws line under Champions League political favours
October 21 – New UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has given the biggest hint yet that a bidding process will be put in place for staging UEFA’s major club finals.
Football Benchmark goes live with latest version of business data tool
October 21 – KPMG Football Benchmark has launched a new iteration of its football business data platform.
AFC elections round 2: Feb-March looks like earliest date for rematch
By Andrew Warshaw
October 20 – The election of Asian candidates to FIFA’s new-look ruling Council looks set to be rescheduled for late February or early March – in time to take up their seats before the FIFA Congress in Bahrain in May.
Right manager, wrong players? Barca spotlight Guardiola and Man City’s challenge
By Andrew Warshaw
October 20 – He may be regarded as one of the most sought-after and tactically astute modern-minded club coaches in world football but for all his achievements and aspirations, Pep Guardiola, perhaps for the first time, is having to swallow his fair share of disappointment to maintain his remarkable record of success.
Gabon show their CAF credentials at AFCON 2017 draw
By Samindra Kunti
October 20 – The hosts Gabon have been handed a favorable draw for the 2017 African Cup of Nations alongside Cameroon, Burkina Faso and the debutants Guinea-Bissau in Group A. Group B has been dubbed the group of death, comprising Algeria and Senegal, two of Africa’s strongest teams.
Allams close in on new, new Chinese owners for Hull in deal worth £130m
October 20 – The protracted sale of English Premier League club Hull City to a Chinese consortium looks to have moved closer to fruition in a potential deal worth £130 million.
Arsenal top Twitter league for second week running, as Man Utd pass 9m mark
By Paul Nicholson
October 20 – Arsenal topped Manchester United in the weekly Twitter followers table for the second week running. The Gunners’ 52,900 new followers is a marked jump for the club, in comparison to the tail off in growth Man Utd are experiencing.
Man City put on the style at Barca as Dsquared2 signs on as fashion partner
October 19 – Manchester City turned British media heads when they travelled to Barcelona for their Champions League match. Gone was the (often) scruffy suit and tie look of overgrown schoolboys on tour and in came a modern, casually smart denim look. Even assistant manager Brian Kidd managed to carry off the style change.
Djibouti breaks new ground with Super Cup final played outside the capital
October 20 – History was been made in Djibouti this week with the first official football final being played outside the capital. The 35th edition of the Djiboutian Super Cup was hosted at the sports complex in the Ali Sabeih region.
Spurs redevelopment wins affordable housing award
October 20 – Premier League Tottenham Hotspurs ground redevelopment and associated regeneration of the local area is starting to win awards. The Cannon Road development has been named Affordable Housing development of the year by Inside Housing magazine.
Champions League run pushes Man City to £19m profit
By David Owen
October 19 – A best-ever Champions League run has propelled Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City to a near doubling of annual profits. The club, which plays Barcelona tonight, spiritual home of new manager Pep Guardiola, has reported pre-tax profits of £19.6 million for the year to May 31, up from £10.2 million in 2014-15.
Traffic’s former US boss Davidson poised to change his plea to guilty
By Andrew Warshaw
October 19 – Yet another of those arrested in the US-led corruption probe into football corruption has agreed to plead guilty. Agency reports citing court papers say Aaron Davidson, who headed Traffic Sports USA, the Miami-based business of Brazilian sports marketing group Traffic, is due to enter his plea on Thursday.