Wenger’s global football talent stock take begins with 200+ FIFA members signing up
October 8 – More than 200 national association members of FIFA have signed up for the Arsene Wenger-led Talent Development Programme.
Madagascar FA boss Rabekoto goes missing with €25m
October 8 – The president of Madagascar’s football federation, Raoul Rabekoto, is reportedly still missing and under an international arrest warrant for allegedly embezzling €25 million.
English football unites to lobby government on the positives of ending the fan ban
October 7 – English football’s governing bodies have joined forces in an attempt to force the government to reverse its decision to put plans on hold to allow fans back into stadiums in a safe and socially distanced manner.
TTFA will lose World Cup spot if it isn’t compliant by Dec 18, but Friday is the real deadline
By Paul Nicholson
October 7 – The Trinidad and Tobago FA have been given a deadline of December 18 by FIFA to get their suspension lifted or face exclusion from the Qatar 2022 World Cup Qualifiers. The TTFA has been given the same deadline for the 2021 Gold Cup.
Serie A postpones new money meeting as venture capitalists refine offers
October 7 – Serie A has once again postponed a meeting to assess bids by private equity funds for a stake in the league’s broadcasting rights as the bidding war between the interested parties intensifies.
OL posts €45.9m profit but puts the cost of covid at €100m
By Paul Nicholson
October 7 – OL Groupe, owner of French Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyonnais, has announced 2019/20 year end revenue of €271.6 million and an impressive pre-tax profit of €45.9 million considering the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Infantino drops in on Macron and timetables plan for a new Paris presence
October 7 – When FIFA football isn’t being played in an international window, politics will be. FIFA president Gianni Infantino was in Paris earlier this week to meet French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace, also present was French FA president Noël Le Graët.
Flemmings gets 6-match ban for ‘B*** Boy’ slur that led to SD Loyal walk-off
October 7 – Junior Flemmings, a Jamaican midfielder with second-tier US club Phoenix Rising, has been banned for six games for using a homophobic slur that led to opponents San Diego Loyal walking off in protest and the match being called off.
Dubois tests positive as Europe’s covid spike casts eerie atmosphere over national teams
October 7 – French defender Leo Dubois has joined Swiss winger Xherdan Shaqiri as testing positive for the coronavirus on the eve of international friendlies and Nations League obligations.
Southgate struggles to control nursery as England’s partying kids break Covid rules again
October 7 – England manager Gareth Southgate has warned his players about their off-field behaviour in the wake of the latest breach of Covid-19 rules.
Ozil offers to pay wages of out-of-favour bench buddy Gunnersaurus
October 7 – Arsenal’s out-of-favour German international playmaker Mesut Ozil has offered to pay the salary of Jerry Quy, who has been playing the role of club mascot Gunnersaurus.
Reed to leave technical director’s post at English FA
October 7 – Les Reed will leave his post as technical director of the English Football Association at the end of the year, the governing body has announced.
Transfers: Arsenal Partey on, Juve spend €50m on Chiesa, Man Utd grab Cavani and Telles
October 6 – With their manager under scrutiny, Manchester United were the most prolific Premier League spenders on the last day of the international summer transfer window, splashing out £28 million on four players though whether that keeps Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in his job remains to be seen.
Debt surges to €488m at Messi’s Barça as Covid hits all revenue streams
By David Owen
October 6 – Spanish giants Barcelona have reported an after-tax loss of €97 million and a more than doubled net debt-load, as Covid-19 took a heavy toll on last season’s financial results.
French football asks government for €215m to see it through Covid crisis
October 6 – The French League (LFP) and the French Football Federation (FFF) have reportedly asked the government for €215 million of Covid-19 relief to make up for the shortfall in gate revenues following the decision to limit fan attendance.