They had to give in sooner or later but it has now actually happened. Barcelona has agreed to display a sponsor’s name on their beloved shirts in exchange for a record breaking €150m (£126m). They had lasted 111 years without a paid sponsor’s name on their shirt although, since 2004, they have had a sponsorship deal with UNICEF but it is actually Barcelona who pays the children’s charity €1.5m a year for the privilege.

From next season the Qatar Foundation, a non-profit organisation concerned primarily with education projects in the Middle East, will pay €30m (£25m) per season until 2016 for their name to be displayed on the Barcelona shirt.
Despite the record breaking deal with the Qatar Foundation Barcelona will still maintain their agreement with UNICEF so their jerseys will display the names of each. However, if that’s not possible the Middle Eastern organisation will take priority.

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has just hit 100 Premier League goals. The United hit man reached the landmark against Arsenal on Sunday and could (and should) go on to hit another 100 if he stays at United for the rest of his career, as he has stated many times before.

There are rumours that Barcelona and Real Madrid are lining up £70million plus bids for the striker. But Rooney has stood firm and said that he plans on staying at Old Trafford. Rooney is in scintillating form after his 4 goal haul against Hull followed by the derby crushing of Manchester City in the Carling Cup and his goal at the Emirates against Arsenal at the weekend. Sir Alex Ferguson has set Rooney a target of 30 goals this season. By the looks of it he will be nearer 40 if he continues in such a rich vain of form until the end of the 2010 campaign.