Football News: Review Of The Day 4th March 2020

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Review of the Day

Contracts

Sevilla goalkeeper Javi Diaz has extended his contract until 2022.

Mason Holgate has signed a new Everton deal which ties him to the Toffees until 2025.

Transfers

Manchester City have agreed a deal to sign teenage Brazilian defender Yan Couto from Coritiba in the summer, when the youngster turns 18.

Former Bolton Wanderers attacker Chung-yong Lee has signed for Ulsan Hyundai from VfL Bochum.

DC United have taken Mohammed Abu on loan from Valerenga.

Injury Round-Up

Aberdeen's Scotland international defender Scott McKenna has picked up a hamstring injury that has ended his season early.

Managerial Changes

The Confederation of African Football sunk further into crisis as the Secretary General Mouad Hajji resigned on Monday. Hajji cited "personal reasons" for his resignation, after less than a year. The Moroccan replaced Amr Fahmy, shortly after the Egyptian had made a complaint to FIFA about corruption within the leadership of CAF. That complaint was followed up by an audit which was damning in its condemnation of the way the confederation was run. CAF's Commercial Director Abdelmounaim Bah has been appointed as Acting General Secretary.

Disciplinary Charges

Macclesfield Town are once more in trouble with the English Football League after failing, again, to pay salaries on time. This is the fourth time this season that salaries have been paid late by the Silkmen. The players have been on strike at one point due to the unpaid salaries and the club was docked 6 points with a further 4 points suspended due to unpaid wages. Southend United are also facing issues after revealing a transfer embargo, it has now been revealed that they failed to pay their staff on time as well.

Rangers' striker Alfredo Morelos has apologised for letting the fans down after coming back late from compassionate leave to home country Colombia. Morelos' late return saw manager Steven Gerrard leave him out of the squad as Rangers went out of the Scottish Cup in a defeat to Heart of Midlothian. Morelos said: "I understand that people inside and outside the club are disappointed that I let them down. It was never my intention to do so. Everyone at Rangers and the fans have given me so much love that I'm so grateful for and I just want to show everyone on the pitch how much Rangers means to me."

Bournemouth winger Jordon Ibe has been fined £7,500 and banned from driving for 16 months. The 24 year old former Liverpool player smashed into a London coffee shop in July before driving off. Ibe has also been given a 12-month community order and ordered to pay £500 in compensation, £181 surcharge and £775 in costs. Ibe already had 11 penalty points on his license prior to the incident.

Handshake Ban In Scotland

Scottish football is implementing a handshake ban as part of its measures to reduce the possibility of transmitting the coronavirus. The ban will apply to footballers, staff and officials with immediate effect.

Gerrard Set To Continue

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard said on Saturday that he had some "serious thinking" to do about his future at the club, after a Scottish Cup defeat at the hands of Hearts. Gerrard has now decided to stay on saying: "This is when the club needs me most to stay on. If you want to survive at this level you have to bounce back. I self-reflect, what I can and need to do better. Saturday was a low and I won't deny that. I will always be honest. I am all in. I signed up to something here and I knew there would be real setbacks. We are always going to be challenged here. My job is to find solutions that give us long-term success. I have to identify why we go from Braga's performance to 72 hours later not doing justice - but that is an exciting challenge for me. I don't fear that challenge."

Nations League Draw

The UEFA Nations League draw has been made:

League A:

Group 1:
Netherlands
Italy
Bosnia & Herzogovina
Poland

Group 2:
England
Belgium
Denmark
Iceland

Group 3:
Portugal
France
Sweden
Croatia

Group 4:
Switzerland
Spain
Ukraine
Germany

League B:

Group 1:
Romania
Northern Ireland
Norway
Austria

Group 2:
Israel
Slovakia
Scotland
Czech Republic

Group 3:
Hungary
Turkey
Serbia
Russia

Group 4:
Bulgaria
Republic of Ireland
Finland
Wales

League C:

Group 1:
Azerbaijan
Luxembourg
Cyprus
Montenegro

Group 2:
Armenia
Estonia
North Macedonia
Georgia

Group 3:
Moldova
Slovenia
Kosovo
Greece

Group 4:
Kazakhstan
Lithuania
Belarus
Albania

League D:

Group 1:
Malta
Andorra
Latvia
Faroe Islands

Group 2:
San Marino
Liechtenstein
Gibraltar

Written by Tris Burke March 03 2020 22:59:26