Sports

Beninese playmaker Stéphane Sessegnon has ended speculation concerning his future by signing a one-year extension to his current contract with Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain.

The Benin international, who was one of the revelations of the 2008/09 campaign after joining the capital club from Le Mans, scoring six goals and seven assists in 34 league appearances for Les Rouge et Bleu.

The new deal now ties him to the Parc des Princes outfit until 2013.

I m very happy to have signed a new deal with PSG. I wanted to stay. I love this club, said the 25-year-old.

When I joined here last year I immediately knew why I d signed here and recognised my own ambitions in the club. I was delighted that the club wanted to extend my stay and they were happy w…

Market: Stockport win

Odds: 3/4 @

Looking to extend their stay in the play-off spots on Tuesday night, Stockport will welcome a struggling Eastleigh to Edgeley Park in midweek.

Starting with the hosts, after throwing away a two-goal lead at home against fellow play-off chasers Altrincham over the weekend, Stockport will be desperate to make a return to winning ways in midweek. Eventually having to settle for a point in Greater Manchester on Saturday afternoon, Jim Gannon s men have still managed to bounce back from that thumping defeat against Hartlepool last month. Knowing that victory on Tuesday night could skyrocket them all the way up to second in the National League table, Stockport have also continued to impress with their extended unbeaten run on home so…

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has rejected the notion that Cristiano Ronaldo needs to accept being a bit-part player after failing to secure a move away from Old Trafford.

Ronaldo had tried to engineer a move away from Old Trafford after requesting a transfer, but failed to find a suitor to satisfy his desire for Champions League football and to challenge for trophies prior to the window closing on Thursday.

The five-time Ballon d Or winner, who has another year on his United contract, was used off the bench in a 26-minute cameo in United s 1-0 win at Leicester City on Thursday. Ronaldo has only made one start this Premier League season, with four appearances off the bench.

The 37-year-old missed United s pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia for per…

What the papers say

England and Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps, 30, could be heading to France, according to the Evening Standard. Paris St Germain have emerged a favourites to sign the BBC Sports Personality of the Year when her contract runs out in the summer.

Crystal Palace are closing in on signing Peterborough’s Ronnie Edwards, 20. The Evening Standard says the Premier League club is working on a deal for the England Under-20 defender.

Arsenal are looking to add Jorrel Hato, 17, from Ajax to their squad, reports the Telegraph. The Gunners are preparing a bid for the Netherlands defender.

Chelsea’s Thiago Silva, 39, could be heading back home to Brazil in the summer, according to the Daily Mirror. He is expected to be offered a return to Flumine…

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has insisted Brazil international defender David Luiz will not be leaving Stamford Bridge, for any price, this summer, understands.

Luiz, 26, has been the subject of reported interest from FC Barcelona in recent times, with the Spanish champions still searching for a long-term replacement for aging centre-back Carles Puyol.

The Brazil international, who joined Chelsea from Portuguese Primeira Liga side S.L. Benfica for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of €25 million in January 2011, is extremely versatile and can deputise as a defensive midfielder and as a left-back.

At the moment, the Blues first-team squad consists of five centre-backs, including Luiz, Branislav Ivanović, captain John Terry, Gary…

Real set to sign Martin Odegaard

Spanish daily newspaper that Real Madrid are set to win the chase for Norwegian wonderkid Martin Odegaard.

The talented footballer seems to have been convinced by los Blancos and looks set to move to Santiago Bernabeu, although Real Madrid officials cannot afford to relax just yet.

Having seen superstar Neymar slip out of their grasp few years ago, they are determined not to make the same mistake and continue to work hard on signing the 15-year-old footballer.

Odegaard will turn 16 in less than two weeks, meaning there will be no obstacles to the January transfer to Real Madrid.

Despite his fragile age, the youngster has already impressed at senior level, scoring 5 goals in 23 league outings for Stromsgodset.

…

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is free to play for England and it is showing after his exploits against Costa Rica, according to international team-mate Danny Welbeck.

Rashford dazzled as England defeated Costa Rica 2-0 in a pre-World Cup fixture in Leeds on Thursday – the 20-year-old capping his performance with a stunning 25-yard strike.

The 2017-18 season was a struggle for Rashford, who was mostly restricted to substitute appearances under the conservative approach of United manager Jose Mourinho.

However, former United forward Welbeck – now playing for Premier League rivals Arsenal – believes Rashford is benefiting from freedom with the national team.

I have enjoyed training with Marcus and from playing against him in the Premier L…

Frederic Antonetti has been sacked as Lille head coach with the club languishing in the Ligue 1 relegation zone.

Antonetti replaced Herve Renard on November 22, 2015, with Lille 16th in the table and led them to a fifth-placed finish and Europa League qualification, but he has lost his job a year later after a sluggish start to 2016-17.

Lille s European campaign was ended by Qabala in the Europa League qualifiers and they have lost eight of their last 10 games in Ligue 1.

Antonetti s assistant Patrick Collot will take charge of the team on an interim basis, with Lille heading to Nantes on Saturday.

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Wrexham s fierce National League title battle with Notts County has been comparable to the great rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, according to Ben Tozer.

There has been a great deal of focus on Wrexham over the past two seasons after the club were bought by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

The Welsh side have thrived in the spotlight, finishing second last year and falling agonisingly short in an epic play-off defeat to Grimsby Town.

Wrexham bounced back this season and are now in pole position for the single automatic promotion place, needing only to beat Boreham Wood on Saturday to seal their return to the Football League.

That is only after a remarkable tussle with Notts County, however, culminating in the dramatic …

Thomas Tuchel thinks Bayern Munich resemble a team that has played 70 or 80 games after the lethargic Bavarians let more Bundesliga points slip away in a 3-1 defeat at Mainz.

Bayern looked likely to extend their lead over second-placed Borussia Dortmund to five points when Sadio Mane put them ahead, but an astonishing second-half collapse continued Tuchel s troubling start to life at the club.

Goals from Ludovic Ajorque, Leandro Barreiro and Aaron Martin dealt Tuchel his third loss in seven games at the helm, denting Bayern s hopes of an 11th consecutive league title.

Bayern have now gone four games without a win across all competitions, and Tuchel believes a lack of energy is responsible for their downturn.

I don t think it s a technical or tactical pro…