Head coach Steve McClaren has confirmed that Derby County want to sign Spanish centre-back Raul Albentosa.

Albentosa, who helped Eibar reach the Spanish top flight for the first time in their history last season and has made 17 La Liga starts so far this term, has been linked with a £500,000 move to England.

"He is a player we like and we are trying to do a deal," McClaren told BBC Radio Derby.

Image source, Getty Images

Gail Emms MBE, the Olympic silver medallist, will celebrate her 10-year anniversary of topping the world rankings for a year, in 2005, by taking on the best players in the country later this month.

At the English National Badminton Championships in Crawley, former world champion Emms will return to contest the mixed doubles.

Emms last won the mixed doubles national title nine years ago, when she paired with Nathan Robertson to glory in Manchester, but will play with Cheshire's Matthew Nottingham in Crawley.

Together with Robertson, Emms, who retired in 2008 but returned to the sport last year, topped the mixed-doubles rankings in 2005.

The tournament takes place from 30 January - 1 February.

Swindon Town have cancelled the contract of midfielder Ryan Harley, while Curtis Da Costa has also left the club.

Harley has joined Exeter City, where he had been on loan, on what BBC Sport understands to be an 18-month contract.

Valencia coach Nuno has signed a contract extension until the end of the 2017-18 season, the La Liga club has announced.

It is a big vote of confidence for the Portuguese, who replaced Juan Antonio Pizzi in July after Valencia finished eighth in La Liga and failed to secure a place in Europe.

With 18 matches played this season, Valencia are fifth in La Liga.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Wales outside-half Stephen Jones will leave London Wasps at the end of the season to return to the Scarlets as the Welsh region's backs coach.

Jones joined Wasps in 2012 as their Number 10 and made the transition to coaching the following season.

"I have enjoyed every minute of my time here at Wasps, first as a player and secondly while I have cut my teeth in a coaching career in such a great league," said the Welshman. , external

'Presenting a tale of two football icons. One earned £20-a-week, the other more than £300,000; one advertised cigarettes, the other models his own underwear range'.

So starts a terrific feature by BBC Sport's Saj Chowdhury, which is now available to read here.

Image source, Getty Images

A comparison of two superstar players from different eras - Sir Stanley Matthews and Cristiano Ronaldo - it includes diet (Ronaldo eats swordfish, Matthews had steak with salad every day) and training (Ronaldo does cardio circuits, Matthews walked six miles along the beach at Blackpool).

Well worth a read.

Image source, Cristiano Ronaldo, Twitter

"On my way to Ballon d'Or2014," tweets Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo as he makes his way to Zurich.

Japan striker Shinji Okazaki won't be joining Leicester after their bid for him was rejected by Bundesliga club Mainz.

"For the time-being that's finished for me. I will stop thinking about it. I'm a Mainz player and for now I want to focus on the Asian Cup and do what I can so we win the title," Okazaki said.

The votes have been counted and the three teams which you think will be relegated from the Premier League are as follows:

QPR with 30.29%

Leicester with 29.91%

Aston Villa with 10.28%

Manchester City have agreed to loan out defender Matija Nastasic to Schalke until the end of the season.

Image source, Reuters

Juventus have no plans to sell Paul Pogba in the near future, according to the club's general manager.

The 21-year-old midfielder played a major role in helping Juve clinch their third successive scudetto last season, scoring seven goals and setting up seven more in 36 Serie A appearances for the Bianconeri.

When asked about Pogba, Juve general director Giuseppe Marotta told Sky Italia: "What was a promising player has become a reality. Every European club is watching him and have been in contact with us. We, however, want to have a strong team made up of champions."

Robin van Persie has confirmed he will not attend the Fifa Ballon d'Or ceremony in Zurich because of the ankle injury he suffered in Manchester United's defeat by Southampton.

Van Persie's World Cup header for the Netherlands against Spain is one of three goals shortlisted for the Fifa Puskas goal of the year award, which is due to be handed out at a lavish ceremony in Zurich from 17:00 GMT tonight.

Image source, Getty Images

"On advice of the club medical staff I am unable to fly out to Zurich to attend the FIFA Ballon d'Or gala," Van Persie tweeted. "I wish everybody there the best of luck and a great evening.

"I will be watching it from home and my good friend Ruud Gullit will take the honours for me."

Image source, BBC Sport

Even millionaire footballers feel the pinch now and again. "The most expensive glass of orange juice ever. They must have brought it from Spain walking..." says Liverpool defender Jose Enrique after paying £9.50 for a glass of orange juice. , external

But, as one of the Spaniard's followers points out, £4 was added for room service...

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United forward Juan Mata has said the team did not deserve to lose against Southampton on Sunday.

"It was not the best game to watch," wrote the Spaniard in his blog, external after the 1-0 loss. "They were well positioned and defended very well, so creating chances was difficult. And yet we were in control of the game.

"The first half was not very good; the game was quite slow, too tactical. But we kept the ball most of the time, trying to find spaces towards the goal.

"They scored after the break in one of the few chances they had, after a ball that rebounded on the post, and then we tried everything to tie the game. I think we deserved that goal."

Image source, Getty Images

The Liverpool Echo, external says that Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri has denied reports linking the Italian champions with a move for Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli.

A last line from Roberto Martinez's chat with the media earlier.

The Everton manager has ruled out Seamus Coleman leaving the club in the January transfer window and said there had been no contact from any clubs over striker Samuel Eto'o.

More trouble and strife at Championship basement boys Blackpool.

Manager Lee Clark was told he wasn't allowed two of his top young players against Millwall on Saturday, because they had yet to sign new contracts.

The highly-rated Mark Waddington and Dom Telford were left out of the squad altogether.

"The club have told me they can't play until they have signed professional contracts," Clark told the Blackpool Gazette., external

Image source, Getty Images

Steven Burke, a member of Great Britain's victorious London 2012 team pursuit quartet, has broken his collarbone in a crash at the team's training camp in Majorca.

The 26-year-old is almost certain to miss this year's World Championships in Paris, which begin on 18 February.

Full story here.

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has said there are leaders in the Liverpool squad who can fill the void Steven Gerrard will leave at the end of the season.

Reds captain Gerrard will join LA Galaxy, with Jordan Henderson set to take on the captain's armband.

"There are other leaders apart from Steven," said Mignolet., external "There's the likes of Martin Skrtel, Lucas Leiva and Jordan Henderson is stepping up as well.

"Me as a goalkeeper I have to do it myself, be a leader. It's one of the areas I want to keep progressing."

Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka says Tomas Kalas has solved his right-back quandary following Friday's half-season loan move from Chelsea.

The Czech Republic international, who had been on loan with Bundesliga side Cologne, made his Boro debut in Saturday's goalless draw with Reading.

Kalas, 21, has made four first-team appearances for his parent club.

"He's a very good player for the present, in a position that has created problems," Karanka told BBC Tees. "With him now we're much better because the position is covered by a very good player."