Europe

English Premier League football clubs were again the biggest spenders in the January European transfer window with their £130m (€157.4m/$213.5m) outlay helping to set a new record level of spending across the 2013-14 campaign.

Tour de France organiser Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) has announced the launch of a one-day women’s race to coincide with the finale of this year’s cycling showpiece on July 27 in Paris.

Real Madrid has selected a proposal from GMP Architekten and L35 as the winner of the international design competition to transform its Santiago Bernabeu home into what it claims will be the best stadium in the world.

Global investment firm KKR has agreed a deal to acquire a 9.7-per-cent stake in Hertha Berlin, with the partnership representing a rare instance of foreign investment in German Bundesliga football.

The French Cycling Federation (FFC) is looking for a global partner to invest €100m ($136m) to become part of its new pro cycling team.

A quarter-final clash in Spain’s leading club cup competition, the Copa del Rey, came to an abrupt conclusion yesterday (Thursday) evening after Racing Santander footballers refused to play against Real Sociedad in protest at the non-payment of their wages.

English Premier League football club Everton has announced a net profit of £1.6m (€1.9m/$2.6m) for the 2012-13 season, with the financial results signifying a £10.7m upswing in comparison with the previous year’s figures.

Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano has claimed that he expects the English Premier League club to break even “in the immediate future” despite posting a net loss of £51.6m (€62.6m/$85.4m) for the 2012-13 financial year.

The International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) and the German Football League (DFL), governing body of the Bundesliga, have announced a partnership agreement in the areas of international cooperation and education across safety and security planning.

The International Paralympic Committee will stage its 2014 IPC Swimming European Championships at the Pieter van den Hoogenband Stadium in the Dutch city of Eindhoven on August 4-10.

English Premier League club Manchester United has confirmed it is in talks with several different sportswear companies with a view to sealing a new kit partnership deal for the start of the 2015-16 season.

Russian Premier League football club Rubin Kazan will not move into its new stadium as planned this season because it would “destroy the pitch” at the 2018 Fifa World Cup venue, according to Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko.

Ticket sales and distribution company Ticketmaster has announced two new appointments to its UK senior leadership team.

The German Bundesliga has written a new chapter in its financial success story, with the announcement that the revenues of the top division of German football increased by 4.4 per cent to €2.17bn ($2.95bn) in 2012-13, representing the league’s ninth straight annual turnover record.

Baku 2015 stakeholders have announced that seven sports will use the inaugural European Games as a qualifying platform for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach has reiterated his confidence that Sochi will stage a “safe and secure” winter Olympic Games with little over a week remaining until the event commences.