Chumbawamba are no strangers to soccer music and the world of football - in the the late 90's they made news for turning down 1.5 million dollars to allow the song "Tubthumping" in a World Cup Nike commercial, it was later used in the World Cup 98 video game by EA Sports and I can't imagine they got paid nearly as much as Nike offered.

FIFA was facing fresh bribery claims Sunday after a whistle-blower accused two executive members of the international soccer body of striking deals worth $1.5 million for their votes ahead of last week's contest to host the World Cup

Bribes look to be cheap these days

Chumbawamba are no strangers to soccer music and the world of football - in the the late 90's they made news for turning down 1.5 million dollars to allow the song "Tubthumping" in a World Cup Nike commercial, it was later used in the World Cup 98 video game by EA Sports and I can't imagine they got paid nearly as much as Nike offered.

I imagine most USA fans are still disappointed with their team's World Cup Round of 16 exit. But the good news is that the game was a TV ratings winner. A total of 19.4 million viewers (14.9 million on ABC and 4.5 million on Spanish language Univision) tuned in to see the USA lose 2-1 to Ghana in the World Cup Round of 16 game this past Saturday.

Liverpool's assistant manager Sammy Lee has stated his delight with the performances and professionalism of January signing Maxi Rodriguez.
The 29 year-old Argentina international was bought for £1.5 million, from next week's Europa league semi final opponents Atletico Madrid, and has since made 14 appearances for the reds contributing two assists.

The MLS Player's Union released its 2010 salary list today.

The two highest earners in the league: David Beckham ($6.5 million) and Landon Donovan ($2.1 million).

Others on the Galaxy:

Donovan Ricketts $160,000
Omar Gonzales $157,000
Dema Kovalendo $136,500
Clint Mathis $120,750
Izzy Sesay $107,000 (!

Rejoice!

British broadcasters ITV have sacked their World Cup pundit Robbie Earle, after discovering that he breached FIFA regulations by selling his press tickets on to a third party which hopefully means we will no longer have to be subjected to his gummy, dribbling (yet somehow still televised) post-match nonsense for the foreseeable future.

The man in black is Jack Warner, the CONCACAF President and FIFA Executive Committee member who just finished voting on the selection of World Cup 2018 and 2022. A long-time target of corruption allegations, Warner is under fresh claims of shady behavior amid new reports suggesting that he did not vote for the United States in its bid to host the 2022 World Cup.

By Chris Wright

Bit of an iffy source on this one, but word on Pies Street is that Arsenal have taken goalkeeper Manuel Almunia to one side and told him that he will be free to leave the club in the January transfer window.

Almunia's current deal expires in the summer of 2012, but Arsenal are reportedly willing to offload the 33-year-old for a bit of cash (approx £1-1.

The contract negotiations between Pipita Higuain and Real Madrid have come, at least for now, to a halt.

Higuain had initially asked for the same salary that his teammate Karim Benzema is being paid (5.5 million euros per season) which Madrid flat out rejected.

Higuain then asked for a lower salary (4 million euros per season) which Madrid also rejected.

MLS's highest-paid player

David Beckham won't likely play this year for the Los Angeles Galaxy, but that doesn't keep him from being the highest-paid player in the league.

Salaries were released by the MLS Players Union on Monday and Becks topped it with his $6.5 million salary.

Landon Donovan is second at $2.

1. After the extensive coverage and excitement generated by Wednesday's dramatic finish, this match will set the records for both internet and television viewings of a USMNT game in the United States. I'll guess 1.5 million followers online and 12.3 million on television.

2. Has anyone else noticed stone-faced Bradley doing his best Maradona impression on the sidelines ever since the second half of the Slovenia game?

Our Chairman, Daniel Levy has done it again! This time, our shrewd boffin has got Software giant, Autonomy, to sponsor Tottenham Hotspur over two seasons. Apparently, the guys over at Autonomy have agreed to pay £10 million per season (£20 million over the duration of the sponsorship deal).

- For those of you wondering what Gerard Pique is up to now that the World Cup is over, he's in Ibiza with none other than... Cesc Fabregas, naturally. They're on a vacation that revolves around beaching and boating, and you know what that means – hot waterside photos of the two. There are already some shots of Pique on the boat in question, looking great if you can look past the puffy pink shorts; you could also get your Pique fix from this video.

Check out this Roger Federer trick shot video where the tennis legend knocks a can off the head of a crew member during a Gillette commercial shoot. It takes a while to set up but once executed by Federer, the video becomes an instant classic. In fact, this Roger Federer video has more than 1.5 million page views on YouTube in only a couple days.

Dud deals Following hot on the heels of yesterday's best signings, here is the worst signings of the season so far. The Premier League transfer market dabbling which currently look like the buying clubs involved were ripped off. 1. Laurent Koscielny Arsene Wenger spent relatively big on his defence this summer, not least £8.

After the nastiness of the last few days, I've been on the lookout for a palate cleanser. I suppose the MLS Re-Entry Draft player list could have done the trick, but that felt a bit too dry. Around here, we either do lots of words or image overkill. It's time for a bit of the latter.
Arena Amazonia is one of Brazil's planned stadiums for the 2014 World Cup; built on the site of the recently demolished Estadio Vivaldão Lima in Manaus, it will hold 46,000.

DROGBA.
Didier Drogba has been handed a two-game ban by UEFA following his sending off against Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge in the second leg of the Champions League's "Round of 16" the other week. Next season will be the 2nd in a row that Drogba will miss the beginning of our Champions League campaign due to suspension.

The opening match of Group C play between USA and England was more watched than the NBA and Stanley Cup championship games.

It's now clear that there is more buzz in the U.S. for the 2010 World Cup than any other in the past. Television ratings are double what they were in Germany's 2006 World Cup.

Arsenal stepped up their search for replacements of free agents William Gallas and Sol Campbell. All this after landing French centre half, Laurent Koscielny from Lorient with a long-term deal. The details for this deal haven't been released, other than a reported 8.5 million pounds.

The 24-year-old Frenchman is seen a scrapper for the back line, a back line that has come under fire for not being tough enough in the heat of battle.

Sebastien Squillaci, of Sevilla, is almost an Arsenal player. Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal coach, has confirmed that his club are in negotiations with Sevilla to sign the centre back but has insisted the two clubs are still some distance apart in their respective valuations. It appears Sevilla are holding out for close to £6.

By Chris Wright

According to talkSPORT's over-worked 'flagrant horsesh*t dressed up as news' department, Arsenal have won the race to sign Anderlecht's uber-starlet Romelu Lukaku after having their £12.5 million bid accepted yesterday.

The 17-year-old striker is being monitored by most of European football's biggest hitters (with Chelsea and Real Madrid said to be very keen on acquiring his services asap), and this is why.

The man in black is Jack Warner, the CONCACAF President and FIFA Executive Committee member who just finished voting on the selection of World Cup 2018 and 2022. A long-time target of corruption allegations, Warner is under fresh claims of shady behavior amid new reports suggesting that he did not vote for the United States in its bid to host the 2022 World Cup.

Is the Sandro Ranieri saga about to end?

Watch FootBrazil's video special on Ranieri here

According to Sandro Ranieri's agent, Luíz Paulo Chignall, the player has agreed personal terms with Spurs.

However, the midfielder's representative also made it clear that Internacional and Tottenham have yet to come to an agreement over the fee.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has shrugged aside any doubt over the immediate future of Ryan Babel, who has been widely tipped for a winter transfer.
The 22-year-old attacker has found first-team opportunities hard to come by at Anfield, having shown only glimpses of the raw talent that earned him an £11.

COS Contributor Chris Wright looks at the imminent managerial switch that makes little or no sense.

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From the moment it was announced that the Bolton Wanderers top brass were coquettishly fluttering their eyelids at Owen Coyle across a crowded saloon and that he was reciprocating with a coy flick of his hair or two, one question loomed large in my and many other people's minds; ‘Why would he want to go?

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has rejected an approach from Greek outfit Olympiakos for Yossi Benayoun, according to a report from The Daily Mail.
The Greek giants apparently offered the Reds £5 million for the Israeli winger, who would have reportedly been paid £40,000 a week after tax had he moved.

Olympiacos will return to Liverpool with a bid for Spanish midfielder Albert Riera after their £5 million approach for Yossi Benayoun was rejected by the Anfield outfit, according to a report from The Daily Mail.
The Spaniard has not managed this season to reproduce the fine form of his debut campaign on Merseyside, and Reds boss Rafa Benitez could be tempted to part with the left-sided midfielder.

Liverpool will conclude a £1.5 million deal for Atletico de Madrid winger Maxi Rodriguez in the next 24 hours, according to The Times.
A source from the club previously revealed exclusively to Goal.com UK that the midfielder had been convinced by Argentina captain Javier Mascherano that first-team football would be in the offing, should he make the switch and join the Reds.

Liverpool are confident that a money row between Maxi Rodriguez and Atletico Madrid will not derail the Argentine's £1.2 million move to Anfield.
Manager Rafa Benitez has agreed a fee with the Spanish club and Rodriguez has accepted the terms of an 18-month contract.
But the 29-year-old midfielder's arrival has been put in doubt by a stand-off with Atletico.

Having crashed out of the Champions League in the group stages, the FA Cup in the third round, and hanging out in 7th place on the table with their three best players out of action, Liverpool are staring straight at catastrophe. Without the revenues available to buy their way out of this mess, and with no more money coming in from the Champions League or ticket sales from the FA Cup and a probable lack of Champions league football next year, all those unthinkable questions now need to be asked.

It was the marquee signing that announced that Manchester City had money to burn and were determined to usurp the comfy old pals act at the top of the Premiership. Fans flocked to Eastlands in tea-towels to show their new Arabic allegiance and the shock that seemed to follow such a transfer.

With the VLeague kicking off this weekend Binh Duong are reported to have signed an $800,000 sponsorship deal with a bank, allowing them a budget of $4 million for the coming season. Compare that with Persisam Samarinda in Indonesia whose budget I believe was about $3.5 million and Balestier Khalsa in the SLeague who get by on $25, free passes on the MRT and Happy Meal vouchers.

Réver celebrates a move to Germany by getting plastered

German side Wolfsburg are set to pay around €5 million for Grêmio defender Réver.

Like many Brazilian players, Réver is owned by more than one party. In his case; Grêmio have 55%, Paulista FC 25% and an investment group 20%.

It appears as though progress is being made over the potential signing of Middlesbrough's Adam Johnson.
After Gordon Strachan poured water on a possible move yesterday, Sky Sports reported that Johnson himself was keen to speak to us over a move and today's MEN states a deal is 'edging' closer:

Manchester City are closing in on Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson to replace the departing Robinho.

We're sure that you already have the release date of Futebol Finance's 50 highest paid footballers flagged in your iCal. (We prefer to call it our 2010 Salary Shopping List. Has a better ring to it.)

But, just in case you missed it, we've attached the names of the Top 10 wallet-busters below.

WHO KNEW?
I bet you don't know about this!
So did you get your new USA blue jersey yet? The one with the cool-ass sash across the chest. I love this shirt.
Have you heard about the secret surprise on the inside of the shirt?

Well it looks like Toronto FC fans will finally get to see a MLS play-off game.

The Toronto Globe & Mail is reporting that the 2010 MLS Cup will be held in Toronto on Nov. 21. This will be the first time that the MLS Cup will be played outside the United States.

The Toronto stadium is one of the best in MLS and Toronto's owners spent over $5.

Sandro Raniere is a Brazilian midfielder playing for Internacional, but will begin to play for Tottenham Hotspur in the Barclays Premier League in 2010-2011 season.

The deal is reportedly to be about £6.5 million.

Sandro Raniere
Born: March 15, 1989
Clubs: Tottenham Hotspurs, Internacional
Position: Defensive Midfielder

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January, it is often said, is no time to bring in new players. Anyone who comes available at that time of year is either going to have his price inflated or else will be someone who causes more trouble than he is worth. Or both. Unless you're getting some player you want to slowly bring through in the coming four months, the advice goes, it is better to forget making any changes.