Jose Mourinho believes transfer fees will continue to sky-rocket as Manchester United close in on the reported world-record signing of Paul Pogba.

L’Equipe, France’s daily sports bible, ran a piece on the eve of the tournament on the players most likely to take our breath away and leave a glittering body of work in their wake.

David Beckham joined his former Paris Saint-Germain team-mates to celebrate their Champions League victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Lionel Messi insists he is staying at Barcelona and has hit out at “lies” linking him with a move to the Barclays Premier League.

Kick-off for Friday’s European qualifier between Georgia and Poland in Tbilisi is 9pm, one hour and a quarter later than the match in Glasgow.

You get the feeling that Jose Mourinho is now using every opportunity he can to persuade the Chelsea hierarchy he should be given the kind of money that tonight’s opponents Paris Saint-Germain have spent in thetransfer market if his side are to challenge for big honours once again.

Bayer Leverkusen 0 Paris St Germain 4

I see our old friend Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been ruffling feathers again, this time with comments which Pia Sundhage, coach of the Sweden women’s team, branded “boring” and “sad”.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s thrilling hat-trick in Tuesday’s play-off second-leg in Sweden confirmed Portugal’s place at next summer’s World Cup finals, and may have secured the Real Madrid attacker the 2013 Ballon d’Or award.

Lionel Messi has gone home to Argentina to fry in the Christmas sunshine with his partner Antonella, infant son Thiago and all the other Messis.

What is it about the overhead kick that still has the ability to turn football fans of all persuasions into a blithering wreck and lose all sight of common sense?

AC Milan have turned down an offer of nearly €46m from Paris St Germain for coveted defender Thiago Silva, club owner Silvio Berlusconi has revealed.

A sound sleeper who dreams of glory, Sweden coach Erik Hamren has overseen a masterclass in taking a laid-back approach to his side’s Euro 2012 Group D opener against co-hosts Ukraine.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has declared Mario Balotelli is staying at the club.

Massimiliano Allegri hailed striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic as AC Milan warmed up for tomorrow’s trip to Arsenal with a hat-trick in a 4-0 win at Palermo on Saturday night.

Football in Italy this winter has become as unpredictable as the weather, so unpredictable there are genuine doubts about which Milan team will face Arsenal tomorrow night.

The Italian media has hailed “beautiful” AC Milan after the Rossoneri’s title-clinching goalless draw at Roma last night.

DAVID VILLA promised to add “his little bit” to a Barcelona side he already believes is the best in the world, after completing his €40 million move from Valencia.

Inter Milan new boy Samuel Eto’o has rubbished suggestions he has ever had a problem with new coach Jose Mourinho.

Inter Milan new boy Samuel Eto’o today vowed to repeat his success with Barcelona at the San Siro as he was officially presented as the Nerazzurri’s latest recruit.