Anderlecht and Club Brugge have been raided by police as part of a wide-ranging investigation into alleged corruption in Belgian football.

Top clubs, agents and referees were targets of police raids on Wednesday, the federal prosecutor’s office has confirmed.

The investigation began at the end of 2017 following a report by the police s sport fraud unit after there was an indication of suspicious transactions in professional Belgian football.

During their investigation, the authorities concluded there was evidence of the influencing of competitions in the 2017-18 season , using this to expand the probe to include a look into match-fixing.

A total of 44 raids took place in Belgium on Wednesday, while a further 13 were carried out simultaneously in France,…

Former West Ham striker Carlton Cole has called on the club to keep hold of Marko Arnautovic, describing the Austrian forward as the Hammers main player .

The 29-year-old has been linked with a move away from the club in the January transfer window and Chelsea are rumoured to be interested in signing him, along with Everton.

Arnautovic has scored five goals in 10 Premier League appearances for Manuel Pellegrini s side this season and Cole said his form has helped to build a strong bond with the club s fans.

He s happy at this club, Cole told Sky Sports.

Arnie provided a last-minute assist as Austria snatched a dramatic 2-1 victory in Northern Ireland!

— West Ham United (@WestHamUtd)

I don t think he s looking actively to go and leav…

Leicester City have signed goalkeeper Ben Hamer on a free transfer ahead of their return to the Premier League.

Hamer made 37 appearances for Charlton Athletic this season but has left The Valley with his contract set to expire July 1.

The 26-year-old has signed a four-year deal at Leicester and revealed that the challenge of testing himself in England s top flight was behind his move.

It s fantastic to be here, Hamer told Leicester s official website.

It was an opportunity that was too good to turn down for me and I m looking forward to coming on board and improving myself as a player.

Being involved in Premier League football has always been a dream of mine since I was a kid.

It s been a long road and to finally get the opportunity to do that was a …

UEFA chairman Michel Platini has repeated fears for the financial security of the European game, telling Italian daily Il Sole 24 Ore that European football is overall not in good (financial) shape .

In an interview published Sunday, the former France and Juventus star said: Last year we highlighted a difficult situation where half of top flight clubs were racking up losses.

After a first look through the accounts in 2009 the situation does not appear to have improved on the contrary, the losses are rising.

This confirms that energetic intervention has become indispensable this is a situation affecting clubs in each of (UEFA s) 53 federations, he added.

UEFA has already drawn up new rules aimed at forcing clubs to strike a balance between receipts and…

With none of his strikers in form, Germany coach Joachim Loew inists he is not concerned by their lack of goals as he prepares to face Turkey in Friday s key Euro 2012 qualifier at the top of Group A.

Both Germany and Turkey have won their opening qualifiers and the winner of Friday night s match will be in pole-position to win an automatic place for the European Championships to be held in the Ukraine and Poland in two years.

Loew is without his vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, who has an ankle injury, and his strikers have all been in poor form in the Bundesliga.

After seven league games so far this season, neither Mario Gomez nor Miroslav Klose have a single goal or assist for Bayern Munich.

Likewise, Brazil-born Cacau has scored twice for bottom …

Catalan daily newspaper that Valencia defender Ricardo Costa could be joining Besiktas on loan until the end of the season.

Despite being short of options at the back, los Che have accepted a loan offer from the Turkish giants and in turn informed the player of the latest developments.

The Portugal international was taken aback by the club s decision to accept a proposal from Besiktas and announced his desire to remain at Valencia via his Twitter account.

It remains to be seen whether he will change his mind in the coming days given that the Black Eagles have until 3rd February to register new players.

Ricardo Costa joined Valencia on a free transfer from Lille in the summer of 2010 and has since featured in 82 La Liga matches, scoring 7 goals in the pr…

Marouane Chamakh insists he has nothing to prove to Arsenal as he returns to his former side for the first time with Crystal Palace.

The Morocco international departed the Emirates Stadium in the close-season, having slipped out of Arsene Wenger s first-team plans.

After arriving at Arsenal on a free transfer from Bordeaux in 2010, Chamakh made 44 appearances in his debut season, scoring 11 times.

However, he made a total of just 23 outings in the following two seasons, but insists revenge will not be on his mind when he travels back to the Emirates for Sunday s clash.

They re a team I always followed, a team I ve loved, Chamakh told The Observer.

But that page has turned. Now it s important to feel wanted, and to show what I can do.

But I have nothin…

Mainz have parted company with head coach Martin Schmidt by mutual consent, the club have confirmed.

Schmidt stepped up from working with Mainz s under-23 side to take the top job in February 2015 following the dismissal of Kasper Hjulmand.

Mainz achieved an impressive sixth-place finish in the Bundesliga in Schmidt s first full campaign in charge, but finished a lowly 15th – just one spot above the relegation play-off places – this time around.

Both parties have thus decided for a change of direction.

have parted company with head coach Martin . More to follow.

— Mainz 05 English (@Mainz05en)

Sporting director Rouven Schroder told the club s official website: This mutual and amicable termination of our co-operation comes after a …

A trio of goals in the first 31 minutes helped West Brom to a 3-2 home win against Crystal Palace, extending the visitors winless run to 10 Premier League games despite their second-half fightback.

Craig Gardner gave West Brom the lead in the 11th minute, tapping in after Wayne Hennessey turned Salomon Rondon s low shot back into the danger zone.

And it was 2-0 nine minutes later  Craig Dawson headed in Gardner s precise free-kick to give Tony Pulis a dream start against the club he kept in the top flight in the 2013-14 season.

West Brom s third came as Saido Berahino volleyed in his first Premier League goal since October from Stephane Sessegnon s wonderful diagonal cross following some fine build-up play.

Connor Wickham gave Palace a lifelin…

Nigel Clough admits there is no love lost between him and Billy Davies as they prepare to resume their rivalry in the FA Cup this weekend.

Clough and Nottingham Forest boss Davies clashed in a feisty east Midlands derby at Pride Park back in 2010 during the Sheffield United manager s tenure in charge of Derby County.

Scotsman Davies reported the former Forest striker to the League Managers Association after claiming Clough kneed him in the back in a touchline altercation during Derby s 1-0 win just over four years ago.

Clough was sacked by Derby following a 1-0 defeat at the City Ground in September and has since been charged with the task of turning around League One strugglers United s fortunes.

The 47-year-old s main remit is to ensure the Yorkshire club avoid…