FOOTBALL: Everton midfielder Ross Barkley has signed a new four-year deal at Goodison Park, the Premier League club announced yesterday.

The 20-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise since breaking into the first team at the start of last season and was included in the England squad for this summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

Barkley has won nine England caps so far and was linked with a move to Manchester City.

FOOTBALL: Every member of the 121-strong FA Council — criticised by FA chairman Greg Dyke — will have to undergo equality and diversity training.

The decision was taken by the FA board last week as part of a response to the case of referees chief David Elleray, who was ordered to undertake the course after apologising for making offensive comments to Robert McCarthy, a black non-league referee coaching manager.

FOOTBALL: AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani has backed Carlo Tavecchio in his quest to become president of Italian football despite his racist remark.

“What Tavecchio said was an unfortunate joke but now he’s being portrayed as a racist. But it stops there. Milan’s position is not changing,” said Galliani.

Fiorentina, who had backed the 71-year-old, have dropped their support due to their “ethical and civic values.”

FOOTBALL: Former Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez’s father has been kidnapped.

According to reports in Argentina, Juan Carlos Cabral was taken from his car yesterday morning with the criminals asking for a ransom in the millions.

Tevez, currently playing for Juventus, left Turin yesterday afternoon to deal with the situation but it is believed the money has been paid.

It is thought that this was not a pre-meditated attack.