MILAN: Italy’s Marcello Lippi could return to Chinese top flight side Guangzhou Evergrande on a three-year, 60 million euro deal which would make him the world’s highest-paid coach, reports said on Thursday.
Former Italy and Juventus coach Lippi steered the Chinese giants to three consecutive Super League titles in 2012 and 2014.
According to Corriere dello Sport, he will sign a three-year contract with Guangzhou worth 20m euros net per season — a salary that, if confirmed, would put Pep Guardiola’s world-beating 17.7m euro (£15m) annual salary at Manchester City in the shade.
FIFA PROPOSE FINE IN 2006 WORLD CUP PROBE
ZURICH: Fifa’s ethics committee has recommended former German FA secretary general Helmut Sandrock be fined 50,000 Swiss francs following an investigation into the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany, world football’s governing body said.
In a final report submitted by Fifa’s investigatory chamber, the body called for Sandrock to perform “social work to be determined by the adjudicatory chamber” and to be fined for violations of Fifa’s code of ethics.
However, Sandrock may request a hearing before a final decision is made by the adjudicatory chamber, the ethics committee said in a statement.
{{/usCountry}}However, Sandrock may request a hearing before a final decision is made by the adjudicatory chamber, the ethics committee said in a statement.
{{/usCountry}}SIERRA LEONE FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ARRESTED
FREETOWN: The president of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), Isha Johansen, and two other leading members were arrested by anti-corruption officials on Wednesday, police and anti-graft agency officials have confirmed.
The head of the Anti-Corruption Commission Ady Macauley told Reuters that he ordered the arrest after the officials “failed to answer to our repeated requests to report to us for an investigation into discrepancies in the financial statements of the SLFA.”
He said the investigations related to “donor funds” from Fifa.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE REFORMS SLAMMED
AMSTERDAM: The European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL) slammed as “unacceptable” planned reforms of the Champions League and threatened Thursday to programme matches at the same time as Uefa competitions.
The continental leagues’ governing body also called for a renegotiation of a previous memorandum of understanding with Uefa’s incoming president, demanding greater say in major decisions it says impacts even the smallest football clubs.
European governing body Uefa has decided for the period 2018-2021 that the four top-ranked leagues — Spain, England, Germany and Italy — will have four automatic places in the lucrative Champions League.