2023 Ballon d’Or Preview, Analysis & Odds: Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland battle it out in an iconic tussle

A fully fit Arouna Kone is desperate to prove he can cut it at Everton next season.

The Ivory Coast striker moved to Goodison Park from Wigan Athletic in July 2013, but endured a frustrating 13-month spell on the sidelines due to a serious knee injury sustained in November of the same year.

Kone returned to make 16 appearances in all competitions last term, scoring just once in a 3-2 Premier League defeat at Newcastle United in December.

The 31-year-old is eager to kick-start his career on Merseyside and believes he will feel the benefit of a full pre-season.

In terms of my injury, last season really helped me to come back and get fitter,  he told Everton s official website.

When I left Wigan, I knew I was coming to a bigger club…

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez is excited about the goal threat Angelo Henriquez will add to his side.

The 18-year-old Chile striker has agreed a loan deal with Manchester United after arriving at Old Trafford in September.

The teenager, who has not yet managed to break into Sir Alex Ferguson s first-team plans, scored on his international debut against Serbia in November.

The manager cannot wait to see his new man in action, while he hopes the move can be as successful for all parties as Tom Cleverley s loan in the 2010-11 season was with the midfielder now an established regular at United and for England.

Angelo is as good a goalscorer as you will find, the Spaniard told the Daily Mirror.

He scored goals at Universidad de Chile and he is goi…

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is delighted that the club s Didier Drogba gamble has reaped instant rewards.

At 36, Drogba is very much in the twilight of a glittering career that has seen him become a Stamford Bridge legend after winning a cluster of silverware – including the UEFA Champions League in 2012 courtesy of his crucial goals in the final –during his first spell with the Premier League leaders.

The veteran striker returned to Chelsea after a two-year absence in July, with injuries to Diego Costa and Loic Remy bumping him in the pecking order in recent weeks.

And Drogba has risen to the challenge, scoring in his last three games as Chelsea thrashed Maribor 6-0, drew 1-1 at Manchester United and avoided an embarrassing League Cup exit at Shrewsbury T…

Werder Bremen have confirmed Franco Di Santo has left the club with immediate effect, with Bundesliga rivals Schalke widely reported to have completed a deal for the forward.

Di Santo moved to Bremen from Wigan Athletic ahead of the 2013-14 season and has scored 17 goals in 49 league appearances for the club.

However, the Argentine was taken out of the Bremen squad to face Sevilla in a friendly on Saturday, with his exit from the Weserstadion duly confirmed.

Franco Di Santo leaves Werder with immediate effect after a clause was activated in his contract, read a statement on Bremen s official website.

Consequently, he will no longer train with the team and will be unavailable for selection for this afternoon s game against Sevilla.

…

Best Odds: 5/4

Bookmaker:

Looking to make an immediate return to winning ways on Monday night, Arsenal will welcome a struggling Newcastle to the Emirates.

Arsenal

Starting with the hosts, while Arsenal might have opened their London derby against Crystal Palace last week as a real standout pick with the bookmakers, the Gunners will certainly know that they missed a real chance on home soil. Putting in what was a sluggish display at the Emirates, Mikel Arteta s side had to settle for a 0-0 stalemate. While Pep Guardiola s former right-hand man might still find his side trying to forge a way into the top-half of the table, there is no doubt the Reds have made a string of improvements over the past three weeks. Although Arsenal might have broken a string of unwan…

Best odds: 12/5

Bookmaker:

Juventus will be taking on Bologna at the Allianz Stadium on Sunday. The game is officially a part of the 19th round of the 2020-21 season in the Serie A, but for the defending champions, it will actually be the 18th match of the campaign.

Juventus

Having won the title for nine seasons in a row, it s fair to say that Italian football has been thoroughly dominated by Juventus in the last decade. This time, however, things seem quite different at the top of the table, with AC Milan at the top on 43 points, Inter Milan second with 40, Napoli and AS Roma sharing places three and four with 34, and Juventus in lowly fifth with 33. Atalanta (also 33) and Lazio (31) are close behind, in sixth and seventh.

Can the Old Lady overturn the…

Real Madrid have withdrawn legal action to have their new signings Lassana Diarra and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar made eligible for the Champions League, UEFA said Tuesday.

European football s governing body said Real Madrid would now be invited to choose which of Diarra and Huntelaar they wish to register for the first knockout stage of the Champions League, on February 25 and March 10, against Liverpool.

The move followed a meeting between UEFA chief Michel Platini and Real s new president Vicente Boluda last Thursday to discuss the Spanish club s appeal to the Court of Arbitration of Sport.

Upon the invitation of the UEFA President to reconsider their position, Real Madrid have decided to withdraw the appeal filed with CAS and to accept the decision of UEFA of 13 Ja…

Captain Michael Ballack believes there is a strong chance Germany will reach the final of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as the national team s new shirt was unveiled on Tuesday.

Three stars above the German Football Federation s (DFB) logo signifies Germany have won the World Cup in 1954, 1974 and 1990, but Ballack says the new shirt is extra motivation for his side to reach the final on July 11.

The new shirt is a return to the traditional style with the colours black, red and gold, of the German flag, in thin stripes running down the predominantly white shirt.

The new shirt gives us extra motivation, said Chelsea star Ballack who missed out on playing in Germany s 2002 World Cup final defeat to Brazil through suspension.

There is a good chance w…

​Ayanda Gcaba has been called up to South Africa s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations following Patrick Phungwayo s injury.

Gcaba, who plays his club football for Orlando Pirates, was added to Shakes Mashaba s squad on Monday two days after they were forced to send Phungwayo home.

The 27-year-old failed to recover in time from the medial collateral ligament damage he suffered to his left knee earlier this month, and he was removed from the squad on Saturday.

Mashaba is unlikely to start Gcaba during the competition in Equatorial Guinea, but he will be needed should centre backs Eric Mathoho, Rivaldo Coetzee and Thulani Hlatshwayo suffer any injuries.

Having made his international debut in 2012 the 28-year-old has not featured since for South Africa, an…

The FA Cup has thrown up an unlikely Anfield return for Emile Heskey, as Bolton Wanderers visit his former club Liverpool in round four.

Emile Heskey is relishing an emotional return to Liverpool when current employers Bolton Wanderers visit Anfield in round four of the FA Cup on Saturday.

Ex-England striker Heskey enjoyed a successful four-year spell on Merseyside and collected medals in the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup before departing for Birmingham City at the end of the 2003-04 season.

Further spells at Wigan Athletic and Aston Villa followed, but it appeared unlikely he would line up against Liverpool again when he joined Newcastle Jets in Australia s A-League in September 2012.

However, the 37-year-old forward was handed a return to English foot…