Free agent Obafemi Martins is looking for fresh challenge as a footballer after being kept away from the game as a result of injury.

The former Inter Milan, Newcastle and Birmingham forward has been out of action for over a year with a torn hamstring suffered while playing for Shanghai Shenhua in April last year, but now he’s fit again and eyeing a move.

“It feels good to be back and it’s important to stay positive ahead of the next phase,” he told BBC Sport.

It is the first time since he began his professional career in 2001 that Martins finds himself without a club.

Martins, 34, scored 32 goals in 59 games in China, after two years in the MLS with Seattle Sounders.

Photo Credit: Seattle Sounders FC

President Aurelio De Laurentiis says he wants Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri to take the Juventus job, saying “It’d be even more fun to win the Scudetto against him.”

Sarri was beloved by the fans, but left after disagreements with the patron, although he could be coming back to Serie A for their arch-rivals Juve.

“It is up to him, he is an adult and can make his own decisions,” De Laurentiis told Radio Kiss Kiss.

“Once he has left our gates, I can only wish him success. I will cheer on his Chelsea team in (the Europa League Final against Arsenal in) Baku and would be very happy if he were to win that trophy.

“As for the future, it’d be even more fun if he came to Juventus and we won the Scudetto against him next season.

“Taking the Serie A title would be a unique and extraordinary sensation. That would be the crowning glory of all we’ve done so far, although the Champions League wouldn’t be bad either.”

Arjen Robben has revealed the circumstances surrounding his move from Real Madrid to Bayern Munich in 2009.

The Bayern Munich wing wizard, who joined the Bavarian club in a €25m deal after an influx of players into Los Blancos, is billed to leave the Bundesliga champions at the end of this season

“It was not just Ronaldo…Florentino Perez returned as president of the club and then bought Ronaldo and Kaka, Benzema and Xabi Alonso,” explained Robben, as quoted by Diario AS.

“They spent so much money they told us they needed to make some money with the sales. For me it was a shame because I had a very good relationship with former Coach Manuel Pellegrini, and maybe I had the best preseason of my career.

“I found it difficult because of the change of president in Madrid, I really felt very comfortable there and played very well, but when politics comes into play and you do not have a real chance, you must decide if you want to keep fighting or continue your career elsewhere.

“The decision was not easy, we sat down as a family and talked, after all, it was leaving a great club like Real Madrid.

“There was no turning back. In comparison, Bayern was not as successful in Europe at that time. My goal had always been to win the Champions League.

“I wanted to prove I was good enough and my move to Bayern was the best decision of my career.”

Reports in France and Italy claim that AC Milan have joined Bundelisga club Bayer Leverkusen in the race to sign Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny.

According to L’Equipe, Koscielny is stalling on a new contract with Arsenal and is ‘tempted’ by the idea of a new challenge.

The newspaper writes Milan have ‘recently made contact’ with the 33-year-old but notes Bayer Leverkusen are ‘most interested’ at this stage.

The Frenchman has spent the past nine years at Arsenal, making over 400 appearances and winning three FA Cups.

Jorginho’s agent has reacted to reports that the Chelsea midfielder may follow Maurizio Sarri to Juventus, saying he does not see why his client could not so.

Jorginho followed Sarri from Napoli to Chelsea last summer, but the Coach has been heavily linked with replacing Max Allegri at Juve.

That prompted Radio Marte to ask Joao Santos whether the 27-year-old would be prepared to join the Partenopei’s arch-rivals.

“I don’t know anything about it,” he replied.

“I think Chelsea are focused on the Europa League Final. For Jorginho it was a rather brilliant season.

“He played 50 games and finished third in the Premier League, he’s in the Final of the Europa League and plays for the Italian national team.

“Jorginho’s a professional and not a Napoli fan. He likes the city, but he can’t say he doesn’t want to play for a certain team.

“Only when he stops playing football can he reason as a fan. I think it’s important for Napoli to strengthen so they can be competitive with Juventus.

“Leicester won the Premier League a few years ago.”

Santos was also asked about Napoli’s reported pursuit of Fenerbahce Eljif Elmas.

“I saw him play, his team did poorly this season. It’s not the case that he made the difference for them.”

Josep Maria Bartomeu has called on the Barcelona and their fans to support Coach Ernesto Valverde ‘who we fully trust’.

Bartomeu insists that the club are ‘very happy’ with the boss who has won back-to-back league titles and could win successive doubles with a final victory in the Copa del Rey against Valencia.

There has been a raft of criticism for the Coach after the Champions League exit to Liverpool earlier this month, coming a year after a similar collapse against Roma, report Football Espana.

The football betting has subsequently focused on a potential new Blaugrana boss this summer, while there is also a lot riding on this Saturday’s Copa final.

“I want to value someone who discreetly and intelligently is helping our team, I’m talking about Ernesto Valverde, who we fully trust,” Bartomeu told the Barcelona senate – the 1,000 oldest members of the club – in quotes cited by Marca.

“Winning La Liga has an extraordinary merit and you know better than anyone what it takes to win this division.

“La Liga’s value and the success of the season is compatible with the internal criticism of what happened in the Champions League, both are valid.

“I want to make a unanimous call for us to focus on the Copa final (against Valencia on Saturday).

“You understand what a ninth double means for our history. When the season ends we can reflect to see what we can do to win everything again.”

Reports in Italy and England claim Gonzalo Higuain ‘dreams of joining’ Cristiano Ronaldo and Maurizio Sarri at Juventus next season.

The Argentine striker, 32, has endured a mediocre loan spell at Stamford Bridge since January, one that will, according to the Daily Mail, not see the Blues exercise their option to either sign him permanently or extend his temporary stay.

And as reported by Italian outlet Tuttosport, Higuain would ideally like to be reunited with Cristiano Ronaldo under the stewardship of Maurizio Sarri.

Ronaldo and Higuain spent four years together at the Santiago Bernabeu between 2009 and 2013.

They won the league and cup together before Higuain was moved on to Napoli, where he scored 91 goals from 146 appearances, including 36 from 35 Serie A matches in his final campaign.

They briefly linked up again at the start of this season before Higuain was shipped out on loan, first to Milan and later Chelsea.

Higuain had worked under current Blues boss Sarri during the most fruitful spell of his career in Naples and despite failing to hit the heights at Chelsea, he is reportedly eager to link up with the coach again should he move to Turin.

Sarri is one of several targets for Juventus after they parted company with Massimiliano Allegri earlier this month.

Allegri led the Old Lady to five consecutive Serie A titles, but fell short in the Champions League.

Sarri, Mauricio Pochettino and Lazio boss Simone Inzaghi have all been linked with Juve hot seat.

The Premier League has announced its UK broadcast, international TV and commercial revenue payments to clubs for 2018-19, with Liverpool leading the way having banked a cool £152.4million.

According to the Daily Mirror, Jurgen Klopp’s men took home more than champions Manchester City, having been televised three times more on UK television than Pep Guardiola’s back-to-back title winners.

The Reds were the most televised team in the Premier League domestically, appearing 29 times.

City, who appeared on UK television in 26 of their 38 league fixtures, took home a total payment of £150.97million.

No team banked in excess of £150million the previous year.

TOTAL PAYMENTS

Liverpool – £152.43million

Manchester City – £150.97million

Chelsea – £146.03million

Tottenham Hotspur – £145.23million

Manchester United – £142.51million

Arsenal – £142.19million

Everton – £128.60million

Wolves – £127.17million

Leicester City – £123.33million

West Ham United – £122.53million

Newcastle United – £120.13million

Crystal Palace – £114.22million

Watford – £113.90million

Bournemouth – £108.14million

Burnley – £107.34million

Brighton – £105.734million

Southampton – £104.30million

Cardiff City – £102.70million

Fulham – £101.90million

Huddersfield Town – £96.63million

Photo Credit: premierleague.com