Ashley Cole: I owe Mourinho a good season

Ashley Cole has insisted that he "owes" Jose Mourinho his best form this season at Chelsea as he bids to prolong his career at Stamford Bridge.The Portuguese manager controversially signed Cole in 2006 in exchange for William Gallas and the left-back won a domestic cup double in his only full season under Mourinho.

Cole was injured for long spells during that campaign and has revealed he is determined to show his manager what he is capable of in the upcoming campaign.

"Having the manager back now from 2006, the manager who bought me, is important because I still feel I owe him something," Cole told the Guardian.

"I didn't play as well as I could back then, and as well as I have for Chelsea since, when he bought me.

"I owe him a lot, personally. I wouldn't say he's different now. He's always had one aim, one objective, and that's to win. I think it doesn't matter what you've achieved in the game, or what you've done in football. You've got to train well and give him 100%."

Juventus top Bayern for Champions League earnings

Juventushttp://www.topspotafrica.com/juventus earned more from the Champions League than any other club last season. The Serie A club were beaten by eventual winners Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, but still made €65.3 million from the competition - compared to €55m collected by the German champions.

This was mostly due to the Italian side gaining much of the TV money in their own country, with Uefa explaining that "monies from the market pool were divided according to the proportional value of the national TV market each individual club represented".

Under the European governing body's system for distributing Champions League cash, the amounts given to clubs varies by country and is related to the performance of all teams representing a particular nation.

Bayern - who also won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal in 2012-13 - earned less because fellow Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund also made the final at Wembley.

Jurgen Klopp's side took home €54.16m, thanks partly to the reward for winning four of their six group stage games, which brought in €1m per match. Milan, Real Madrid and Barcelona were the next biggest earners, gaining €51.3m, €48.4m and €45.5m respectively, even though the latter beat the Serie A side in the last-16 stage.

Manchester United, who lost to Madrid in the last 16, were the best rewarded Premier League side with €35.5m. By comparison, Chelsea made €60m from winning the competition in 2012. In total, €904.6m was handed out to 32 clubs, while in the Europa League the overall fund was €209m. Semi-finalists Fenerbahce were the biggest earners from the competition with €11.18m, while winners Chelsea made €10.7m to add to the €30.5m they made from the Champions League

Napoli agree €37m fee with Real Madrid for Higuain

Napoli have agreed a €37 million fee with Real Madrid for Gonzalo Higuain. The Serie A club have had a fresh bid for the Argentine accepted by the Spanish club and Napoli are now trying to convince the player to move to the San Paolo. Personal terms are yet to be agreed, with Higuain's insistence on retaining his image rights providing a something of a stumbling block.

Higuain has two years remaining on a Nike deal worth around €1.8m per year but Napoli would prefer to take control of his image rights and pay him a more lucrative salary. The forward earns a relatively modest €75,000-a-week at Madrid and Napoli are believed to have offered him a deal in line with the €116,000-a-week starting salary he had agreed with Arsenal.

The Gunners had agreed personal terms with Higuain but a transfer to the Emirates Stadium stalled because Madrid were holding out for a bigger offer than the €27m submitted by the Londoners. Arsene Wenger subsequently switched his attention to capturing Luis Suarez from Liverpool after learning theUruguayan was interested in a move to the Emirates.

Wenger is still believed to be monitoring Higuain’s situation but plans to bring him to Arsenal are on the backburner as the Frenchman attempts to land Suarez for £40m-plus in a deal that would smash the club transfer record.

Arsenal will not attempt to match Napoli's bid but could come back into the running for Higuain's signature if he rejects a move to the Serie A club. New manager Rafael Benitez targeted Higuain for the vacant senior centre-forward role in the team after selling Edinson Cavani for €63m to Paris Saint-Germain last week. Although Madrid have claimed Higuain is not for sale, it is understood the Spanish club are now ready to offload the forward, who has spent six years at the Santiago Bernabeu.

New video: Wray - If You Wanna

K RnB artiste, Wray returns with a brand new single and video just in time for the summer of 2013, titled “If You Wanna" (produced by TeeBeeO). Shot across various locations in London, the video was directed by the vastly creative Chass Apeti. Enjoy.

Sunday Mba says he is ready for the big move

Super Eagles midfielder Sunday Mba has disclosed that he is ready for the big move to Europe.

Mba who scored the winning goal for the Super Eagles in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations told Goal that he is back to his best after the battle from two Nigeria Premier League clubs almost derailed his plans to join the foreign League.

But with the declaration of Warri Wolves that he can play for Rangers on loan for free, Mba is confident that he will soon realise his ambition of playing abroad.

"I am a happy man now because all the problems associated with my career at home are now over. Now I can say that I am ready to finally make the big move to Europe since there is no contention about my status," Mba told said. "I want to say that Warri Wolves did a good thing by allowing me to play for Rangers on loan for free and I intend to make good use of that opportunity."

Despite not playing at club level, the 25-year-old scored twice in a 4-1 demolition of neighbours Cote D'Ivoire in Kaduna as the national team hopes to secure its first qualification for the African Nations Championship next year. "I have watched the game against Cote D'Ivoire and I am satisfied with my performance. I want to continue to improve my game. "Now I have settled down to concentrate after my agent and Warri Wolves settled everything last week. But be rest assured that I will soon join a big club in Europe.

"I want to use this opportunity to say that only Barrister Chike Onyeacho is my lawyer and agent that is permitted to negoatiate any deal on my behalf. "I need to make this clarification to douse every tension that has arisen from recent comments that another person will represent me if anything comes up.

"I am happy with the way I am now and all I want to do is to continually improve my game," said Mba. clubs from Europe have made enquiries about the player and are set to lay down the cards to sign him before the end of the European transfer window.

Pick your Team of the Season: Moses, Varane and Robben make our Africa editor's XI

The young Raphael Varane and experienced Thiago Silva are partnered in central defence to give the side solidity and finesse at the back, while 20-year-old Mattia De Sciglio earns a spot in the left-back position based on his supreme composure at the highest level for AC Milan and Italy, despite his inexperience at just 20 years old.

The midfield is comprised of two visionary playmakers in the form of Arjen Robben and Andres Iniesta, playing on opposing wings to give the side width and plenty of creativity. In the centre, a versatile Victor Moses is tasked with stabilising the midfield, which he did so well for Nigeria during their victorious Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

The prolific Robin van Persie is stationed up front, slightly ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who complete a ferociously attack-minded 4-3-2-1 formation.

Ameobi will be available for Mandela Challenge, says Keshi

The Newcastle forward will make the friendly against South Africa according to the Super Eagles coach Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has quashed insinuations that Shola Ameobi might miss the Nelson Mandela Challenge against South Africa next month due to an arm injury.

Keshi said the Newcastle forward is healthy and will not miss the game that will ensure his return to the side after dropping out before the final announcement of the squad to the Africa Cup of Nations in January.Ameobi picked up a late injury in a pre-season friendly between the Magpies and Portuguese club Rio Ave on Sunday.

He had come on as a second half substitute to score his side’s lone goal in the 3-1 loss, but then fell on his arm. His exact state of health had been unknown with the club yet to release the results of a planned x-ray.

However, Keshi has given assurance that the player is in good shape.

“I have spoken to Shola and the guy is fit and healthy and will be available for the Mandela Challenge. He told me so himself, so any other news to the contrary I don’t believe.” Keshi said.

Manchester United prepare final €41m bid for Fabregas

Manchester United will make an improved third bid worth €41 million for Cesc Fabregas after Barcelona rejected their latest offer for the midfielder, Goal understands.

The Blaugrana have turned down United’s second bid for Fabregas - worth €35m plus add-ons - and have told the Premier League champions the former Arsenal captain is not for sale. United, however, are preparing a third and final bid to test Barcelona’s reserve as the club’s vice-president, Ed Woodward, looks to provide new manager David Moyes with a stellar midfield signing this summer.

The Premier League champions would offer Fabregas a wage package worth around €233,000-a-week but fear they will be unable to agree a fee with Barcelona to take the player to Old Trafford. Moyes confirmed on Monday that United had lodged an improved bid for Fabregas, as the 26-year-old is ready to consider his future at the Camp Nou, with former club Arsenal holding a €29m buy-back clause and also monitoring the situation.

Barca expect to keep Fabregas, particularly in light of Thiago Alcantara’s departure to Bayern Munich, and United sources are increasingly pessimistic about the club’s chances of landing the Spain international. "This is the final push," a source close to the deal told Goal. "They are only willing to give it one more go, and know that if this fails they have other options."

Moyes publicly admitted United may be forced to accept defeat in their pursuit of Fabregas, while Barcelona are believed to have given the English club short shrift, not least because their second offer was made on the same day that coach Tito Vilanova announced his resignation for health reasons.

United are considering alternatives should they miss out on Fabregas, with Luka Modric, Yohan Cabaye and and Marouane Fellaini all on Moyes’ shortlist to add creativity and attacking threat to his midfield. United made their first bid of €29m for Fabregas last week, which the Catalans immediately rejected, prompting Woodward to leave the pre-season trip to Australia ahead of schedule on Wednesday.

Fabregas returned to his hometown club in 2011 after eight years at Arsenal, but has struggled for a regular starting spot at the Camp Nou. He still made 32 appearances for Barca last season, scoring 11 goals and providing 11 assists.

Barcelona set to appoint Martino

Gerardo Martino has agreed a three-year deal to replace Tito Vilanova as Barcelona coach and is set to be announced by the Catalan club on Tuesday.

Martino, nicknamed 'Tata', impressed Barca sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta when the two spoke via video conference on Monday and the Argentine will travel to the Catalan capital in the coming hours to put pen to paper after Vilanova stepped down on Friday to continue his treatment for cancer.

Barca sources claimed late on Monday the deal was still to be ratified by the board, but an agreement has already been reached for Martino to join the Spanish side. The 50-year-old, who will be accompanied at Camp Nou by fitness coach Elvio Paolorroso and assistant Jorge Pautasso, has beaten former Barcelona midfielder Luis Enrique to the post.

Luis Enrique joined fellow Liga side Celta Vigo only last month and his signing proved complicated so late into the summer, with the Galician outfit already well into their preparations for the new season.

Martino will be the fourth Argentine to coach Barcelona (after Helenio Herrera, Roque Olsen and Cesar Luis Menotti) and links up with fellow Rosario native Lionel Messi. Messi has spoken highly of the former Newell's and Paraguay coach and the attacker's brother Matias congratulated Martino on Monday evening. "Welcome Tata!!" he wrote on Twitter. "Let's hope we can continue on the right path!! Thanks Tito!! God bless you!!"

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ezequiel 'Pocho' Lavezzi also showed support for his compatriot on the social network site. "How cool that Barcelona have chosen an Argentine to be their coach," he wrote. "Total success, Tata!"

Martino is set to be announced by Barca on Tuesday and is likely to be unveiled by the Catalan club later this week. In the meantime, Jordi Roura will take charge of Wednesday's friendly against Bayern Munich.