Stoke City sign Juan Agudelo but fail to obtain work permit

Stoke City have confirmed the signing of United States international Juan Agudelo but were forced to send him on loan to FC Utrecht after failing to obtain a work permit for the striker.

The striker, who has 17 caps, signed from Major League Soccer side New England Revolution on a free transfer.
But the Premier League club's November bid for a work permit was rejected, and they cannot reapply until March.

They have sent Agudelo, 21, to the Dutch club until a second bid is made.

"We were surprised and bitterly disappointed when our application for a work permit was rejected by the appeals panel - as were many other people in the game," said chief executive Tony Scholes.
"It's still our view that Juan is a great talent and is a player that [manager] Mark Hughes would like to join our squad. We have therefore decided that we are going to reapply for a work permit at the earliest opportunity."
Stoke have already signed a striker in the January transfer window with the acquisition of John Guidetti, 21, on loan from Manchester City for the rest of the season.

Ossie Ardiles involved in car accident in Falkland Islands

Ex-Tottenham midfielder Ossie Ardiles has had more than 20 stitches in his head after being involved in a car accident in the Falkland Islands.
Ardiles, 61, was believed to have been driving, with fellow ex-Argentina midfielder Ricky Villa a passenger. "My understanding is he is fine," said his eldest son, Pablo, speaking from his home in England. "He has 20 odd stitches in his head and my understanding is he has been hospitalised overnight. But he's fine." Ardiles and Villa are in the Falkland Islands to film a television documentary, which is being directed by Freddie Ardiles, the youngest of the former footballer's two sons. Four passengers have been released from hospital after treatment for minor injuries. Three others have been detained. "Ricky Villa and my brother were out there but they are OK and are back in the hotel," added Pablo.
"I don't know the exact details, but I understand my dad was driving and that he lost control somehow. I've heard reports he swerved to avoid a sheep but I can't confirm that. "The main thing is he is fine, they are all OK." Local emergency services and the British military attended the scene of the accident with those involved flown to King Edward Memorial hospital in Stanley. "I can confirm that there was a road traffic accident involving seven passengers last night in the Islands," a spokesperson from the Falkland Islands Government said. "Thankfully, due to the fast action of our rescue services and the British forces, they were successfully evacuated to hospital in Stanley, where their injuries were assessed. "Three members of the party remained in hospital overnight for observations and further treatment, and the remaining four were released from hospital following treatment for minor injuries." Ardiles moved to Tottenham in 1978 from Argentine club Huracan just a few months after winning the World Cup with his country. He spent 10 years at White Hart Lane, apart from a brief spell on loan at Paris St-Germain, and won both the FA Cup and Uefa Cup during his time with the London club. The diminutive midfielder went on to have spells with Blackburn, QPR and Swindon Town. He took over as manager of the Robins in 1989 before periods in charge of Newcastle, West Brom and Spurs.

Paul Ince - Blackpool boss sacked after less than a year in charge

Blackpool have sacked manager Paul Ince after less than a year in charge.

The 46-year-old was appointed in February 2013 following previous boss Michael Appleton's move to Blackburn.

The Seasiders were briefly top of the Championship this season after winning five of their opening six games, but have not won since 30 November.

Ince's departure was confirmed in a brief club statement  that also said midfielder Barry Ferguson will take charge of training on Thursday.

In October, Ince was given a five-match stadium ban by the Football Association, and he won only 12 out of 42 games as boss.
His last match was a 2-0 defeat at bottom club Barnsley on Saturday and his assistants, Alex Rae and Steve Thompson, have also left the club.
The Blackpool Supporters Association had taken a unanimous vote of no confidence in Ince on Monday evening.
And the BSA also produced a six-point letter to club chairman Karl Oyston,  giving their view that Ince's position was "untenable" and that his "tactics, attitude and results has destroyed the morale of Blackpool fans".
The former Manchester United, Inter Milan, Liverpool and England midfielder previously managed Macclesfield Town, MK Dons, Blackburn Rovers and Notts County.
At Stadium MK he won the League Two title and Football League Trophy before being given a chance in the Premier League by Blackburn.

But Ince was sacked by the Ewood Park club after less than six months, having won only six out of 21 games in all competitions - and after leaving Notts County in April 2011, he was out of work for almost two years before joining Blackpool on a one-year rolling contract.

He was given the task of keeping the club in the Championship and met that target as they finished last season in 15th place, five points above the relegation zone.
But a poor run of recent form, which brought just two points from their last 12 games and an FA Cup third-round defeat at Bolton, prompted Oyston to relieve Ince of his post.
Ince's son Tom remains a Blackpool player despite being repeatedly linked with moves to other clubs, most recently Monaco. 

Barcelona announce Nou Camp redevelopment plan

Barcelona will stay at their iconic Nou Camp stadium after announcing a £495m (600m euros) redevelopment, which will increase its capacity to 105,000. 

The Catalan club's directors voted against a proposal to move from the 99,354-seater ground to a new location at an extraordinary meeting on Monday.
The remodelling plan will go to Barca's 160,000 members, who collectively own the club, ahead of an April referendum.

The Nou Camp was "an icon of the city", said president Sandro Rosell.

Matches would still be played while the work - which could be finished by 2021 - is carried out.

"It has been an important decision for the club - the most important in the last 50 years," added Rosell.
"The option of building a new stadium on a new site has been dismissed as the final cost could have saddled the club and its members with debt and tied the hands of future boards of directors.
"This was a difficult decision, both options were very attractive but we decided to go ahead and stay."
The Spanish champions insist the restructured stadium will still be known as the Nou Camp, but added naming rights could be sold.
The club said the redevelopment, which will see a roof built to cover all spectators but not the playing surface, would generate an extra £24m of revenue per season.
Board member Javier Faus, who added that the cost of the redevelopment would be repaid within eight years, said the move was necessary for Barca to continue competing with Europe's other leading clubs.
"We don't want to bankrupt the club for 30 to 40 years," he added. "We won't take money from the club members or outside investors. The club will run the proposals with our own resources."
The redevelopment, if approved by members, would begin in May 2017 and be completed in February 2021.

Premier League West Brom vs Everton

West Brom vs Everton

New West Brom head coach Pepe Mel faces a potential striker shortage for his first game in charge on Monday.

Victor Anichebe and Stephane Sessegnon are both injury doubts and Shane Long has joined Hull.
Everton defender Sylvain Distin is likely to be available after a three-match absence with a hamstring strain.
New signing Aiden McGeady could make his debut, but defender Antolin Alcaraz and midfielder Ross Barkley are still on the sidelines.

MATCH PREVIEW

Pepe Mel will hope to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors such as Mowbray, Di Matteo, Hodgson and Clarke by avoiding defeat in his first match in charge of West Brom.
He says: "My plan is to win, it is my only mentality and I hope to see the fans doing the 'boing-boing' very soon."

Albion have moved away from their yo-yo existence of previous years but some have described this appointment as a gamble in the club's fourth successive season in the top flight.

Mel could have inherited a far more threatening scenario had it not been for Keith Downing and Dean Kiely. The pair deserve credit for providing much-needed stability during the managerial uncertainty, and last weekend's setback at Southampton was the club's first league defeat since Steve Clarke was removed.
Mel, sacked by Real Betis in December with the club bottom of La Liga, knows all about the pressures of relegation. However, his overall record in Spain was good but there will be no honeymoon period at The Hawthorns.
His first priority will be to navigate Albion away from the cluster of clubs in the congested corridor above the trapdoor.
There was a time when Everton would flirt with relegation, but continuity brought consistency under David Moyes and Roberto Martinez has built on that platform to now challenge for a Champions League place. This is their best return after 21 games of a season in 35 years.
The match sees the return to The Hawthorns of Romelu Lukaku, who was involved in a tug of war between the two clubs for his services on deadline day in August.
His 17 goals on loan at West Brom last season ensured his popularity but whether it's still intact after he opted for Everton because they were "a more prominent club" remains to be seen.
What might increase the angst of Albion fans is that Lukaku is due a goal after scoring just one sincethe end of November, but you would have to say his choice of Everton has been vindicated.

Norwich City: 'Hughton out' banner spurred us on, says Ryan Bennett

Norwich City defender Ryan Bennett says a banner calling for manager Chris Hughton to be sacked spurred on the players to beat Hull 1-0 on Saturday.

A banner reading "Hughton Out" was held up by supporters before Tuesday's FA Cup replay defeat at Fulham.
"We turned up for Fulham and there's a banner as we're getting off the coach," Bennett told BBC Radio Norfolk.
"There's no need for that. You see that and it spurs you on and you don't understand what they're thinking."

The 3-0 loss at Craven Cottage provoked an angry reaction from sections of the Norwich support, who were concerned with the club's form.

But victory over Hull ended a six-game run without a win in the Premier League and moved the Canaries up to 12th, five points clear of the relegation zone.
It also helped relieve the pressure on Hughton.

"The fans are entitled to their opinion whether we agree with it or not," said Bennett, whose 87th-minute header proved the difference at the weekend.
"But we went out there to do the best for the whole group, that's the staff and players.
"Hopefully people who are grumbling can start to relax and maybe get behind us a bit more."
Hughton's players joined together in a huddle after Bennett's winner, in what the 23-year-old said was a show of solidarity.
"We knew how big the game was. The lads are really close here," he added.
"We were getting some stick from the fans. Even at half-time there were a lot of grumbles.
"I think it's a solidarity we've got between ourselves. We wanted to get together, off the cuff at that time."

West Brom sponsor Zoopla to end deal at close of the season

West Brom sponsor Zoopla have decided to end their sponsorship of the club at the end of the season over Nicolas Anelka's "quenelle" gesture.

Anelka made the sign, described as an inverted Nazi salute, after scoring against West Ham on 28 December 2013.
The Football Association is investigating the gesture.
West Brom have continued to pick Anelka since the incident at Upton Park and the striker has promised not to repeat the celebration.
The property company said in a statement: "Zoopla has been reviewing its position over the past few weeks in light of the actions of striker, Nicolas Anelka, during the match against West Ham over the Christmas period.

"It has decided to focus its attention on other marketing activities after this season."
The agreement was due to finish at the end of the season and Zoopla have decided not to renew.
The FA has brought in an "expert regarding the salient issues related to the gesture", which Anelka made after scoring in a 3-3 draw at Upton Park.
There is a possibility he could be handed a lengthy ban should he be charged and found guilty.
Anelka said he made the gesture in support of performer Dieudonne M'bala M'bala, whom the French government has tried to ban from making the sign at his shows.
West Brom host Everton in the Premier League on Monday.