Pat Murphy
BBC Midlands football reporter

Leicester City have lost their highly regarded head of recruitment Steve Walsh to Everton, where he'll become director of football.

This is a major blow to the Premier League champions, a few days after losing N'Golo Kante to Chelsea and amid doubts that Riyad Mahrez will stay. Walsh was the key man in luring both players to Leicester for bargain sums, along with Jamie Vardy. 

Arguably he became the most important figure in Leicester's football department because he kept delivering unpolished gems from his countless scouting missions without breaking the bank.

He's been tempted away by what he sees as a career promotion and the vision of Everton's majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri.

Colchester United have appointed Iain Moody as head of player resources in his first club role since 2014.

Moody resigned as Crystal Palace sporting director two years ago after allegations he shared racist, sexist and homophobic texts with boss Malky Mackay when they were at Cardiff City.

After a "thorough" investigation, the pair faced no action from the FA.

"I come in with a very specific remit for the recruitment of professional players," Moody told BBC Essex.

"The chairman explained to me when I first met him that he's invested a fair sum of money in the academy, but he's quite satisfied that that's beginning to bear fruit and will bear more and more fruit as the years go by."

Image source, Rex Features

New Everton director of football Steve Walsh has said he is excited to be part of a "new era" at Everton.

Walsh has left his position as Leicester City assistant to join the Toffees.

He said: “I’m proud and privileged to become director of football at such a fantastic and historic club.

"With a new manager and a new major shareholder, it feels very much like a new era here at Everton and that potential is what is most exciting."

Image source, Getty Images

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

International Champions Cup organisers are playing down the effect of the heavy storms that affected China's capital Beijing on Wednesday.

Areas of China's capital were flooded as a result of the storms.

Manchester City are flying into Beijing on Friday ahead of Monday's eagerly anticipated game with Manchester United, which pits Pep Guardiola against Jose Mourinho for the first time in charge of their respective teams.

Although temperatures are forecast to reach 35C on Saturday, no further rain is forecast until Monday.

"We are sure it will be fine," said ICC spokesman Ben Xiaozheng.

Image source, Andrew Rees

That's the message from Andrew Rees, who became the first deaf man to swim the English Channel solo on Sunday (you might remember us telling you about his achievement earlier this week).

Read more of his thoughts about his swim here.

Former chief football writer of the Bolton Evening News Gordon Sharrock has been speaking to BBC Sport about former Trotters and soon-to-be-England boss Sam Allardyce.

"Some of the matches at Euro 2016 were poor. There was little attractive football. Teams didn't want to concede. I didn't see anything there that Sam could not live with. The England players will be feeling intolerable amount of pressure, but Sam will take away the weight of expectation and the fear factor.

"Sam has not won any major trophies. But there are different ways to manage success for each manager. At 61, Sam is at the right age now and commands the respect needed.

"The England job is a difficult one for any manager but he is a dyed-in-the-wool Englishman, someone who has served his time and who lives, breathes and sleeps football."

For some Allardyce anecdotes from Sharrock, including one about animal testicles,click this link.

Image source, Getty Images

In 2008, Petr Cech signed a new five-year contract with Chelsea, the same day they agreed to sell Claude Makelele to Paris St-Germain and Khalid Boulahrouz to Stuttgart.    

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Sport takes a closer look at what England fans should expect from Sam Allardyce's England.

The 61-year-old is expected to be announced as the new Three Lions boss soon.

Lazio could win their third Italian title... for a championship they played over 100 years ago.

They were due to meet Genoa in the 1914-15 final after both sides came through their regional qualifiers. But World War I broke out and the game was never played.

Four years later, the Italian FA (FIGC) handed the title to Genoa, reportedly because they were considered the better side.

But more than 30,000 Lazio supporters signed a petition and the FIGC is expected to make a ruling on 4 August after setting up a commission.

If Lazio are successful, they will join rivals Roma on three titles.

"It is a legitimate Scudetto," Lazio president Claudio Lotito said. "It was taken away from us by the war."

English Heritage says it is time jousting was taken more seriously as a sport – even suggesting jousters should be able to compete at the Olympics.  

Listen here on the Radio 4 website if the audio doesn't work in this entry.

Stoke City forward Marko Arnautovic is yet to agree to a new contract, but boss Mark Hughes is hopeful they can keep the 27-year-old.

The Austria international has 12 months left of his deal and has been linked to Paris St-Germain.

"We are where we were with Marko, but we remain very hopeful of being able to keep him here.

"He isn't going to rush into any decision - clearly he has had an offer on the table from ourselves for a period of time now but his advisors want to take a look at the options for him." 

Image source, AP

Adam Taylor: At West Ham, Sam Allardyce was replaced by Slaven Bilic, who plays better football, has more success and international experience. English and not previous manager only reqs.

Mr Chamberlain: Read Big Sam's book. Way more than meets the eye. Best memory, JJ Okocha and Sam dancing on the pitch after staying up 

Chris Swann: My favourite Big Sam memory is not doing anything remotely worth getting the England job

Spain have named Julen Lopetegui as their new manager.

Vicente del Bosque stepped down after eight years in charge following their disappointing Euro 2016 campaign, which ended at the last-16 stage.

Lopetegui, 49, was sacked as Porto boss in January and has previously coached Spain at youth level.

He had been linked to the Wolves job, external as recently as 09:15 BST this morning!

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle have signed Scotland defender Grant Hanley from Championship rivals Blackburn for a reported £5.5m.

The 24-year-old has spent his entire senior career with Rovers until today, playing 201 times.

"It is an exciting step in my career but it doesn't stop there. This is just the start and I am looking forward to helping Newcastle get back into the Premier League," he said.

United manager Rafa Benitez added: "It was clear that we needed another central defender and we were seeking someone with good experience in the Championship.

"Grant is a young player with a lot of ambition to improve and keep growing with us."

Image source, Reuters

Barcelona want a proper number nine, says manager Luis Enrique.

"It's true that we are looking for a forward. We want that player to be motivated, with desire and to score.

“I want a pure striker, who arrives in the area and is capable of scoring goals.”

Meanwhile, Barca attacking midfielder Alen Halilovic, 20, has passed a medical at Hamburg. He is set to join the German side on a permanent deal.

In 2014, England and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard announced he was retiring from international football after earning 114 caps over 14 years. During that time he scored 21 goals and played at six major tournaments for the national side.

Image source, PA

The what?

Well, if you've already tried The Robot, The Overhead Bean and The Behind-Your-Back Bean moves you'll know what we mean.

If not, let BBC 6 Music's Chris Hawkins and Make Your Move personal trainer Martin Cullen explain.....

If you want to find out about the other exercises you can find them here - and don't forget that Mary Ann Hobbs will be encouraging you to take a hike on her BBC 6 Music show at the weekend.

Julian Gold: Sam Allardyce - guaranteed to save England from relegation on the last day of the season.

Trevor Gregory: Why do the FA think they are qualified to make the right appointment when they have failed miserably in the past? I suspect the same 'experts' who are saying that Sam Allardyce is the right man for the job said the same about Roy Hodgson

ScillaciRam: England RFU had the players, they added the coach to win. England football have neither, for tournament finals.