Lionel Messi has turned down  Barcelona's opening contract offer worth between €30-35m-per-season. 

Messi’s current contract with Barca will end in June 2018 and his handlers have been in negotiations  with the La Liga champions over an enhanced offer from the club given his immerse contribution to the success of the club.

Portuguese and Real Madrid forward, Cristiano Ronaldo is poised to lift his fifth Ballon D’or by the end of the year. Ronaldo won his fourth award last year to leave him one behind his perennial rival, Argentina and Barcelona star, Lionel Messi.  

In 2005 when they won only the 2nd premier league title (the first being the then First Division), after 50 years, it was unlikely that even the most optimistic of Chelsea fans would have imagined the good fortune that was to follow.

Haven beaten Middleborough 3-0 in match day 35, Chelsea are a win away from yet another championship - the 6th in its history and the fifth in the last 13 years since 2004. In this time, only Manchester United has been as successful.

AC Milan has been acquired by a Chinese consortium for €740m.

The deal which was concluded on Thursday marks the transfer of ownership from Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to the Yonghong Li led consortium: Rossoneri Sport Investment Lux.