Accor, Europe’s biggest hotel operator, offered to buy Australia’s Mantra Group in a deal valuing the hotel and resort company at $1.2bn (€795m).

MICHAEL ESSIEN’S future at Chelsea has been thrown into doubt after his agent claims the midfielder would consider a move away from Stamford Bridge.

New Paris St Germain coach Antoine Kombouare claims France captain Patrick Vieira is keen to join the capital club but admits his salary could be a stumbling block.