Lille president Michel Seydoux says there is a “98% chance” of Brest striker Nolan Roux joining the club, a move that suggests Moussa Sow’s departure may be imminent.

Since time immemorial, 22-year-olds have embarked on crazy assignments. A recent video of a bungee jump failure has put extreme sports back in the spotlight.

Anyone currently surveying the investment horizon, as folks do at this time of the year, could surely come up with only one conclusion: that in the short term it’s extremely unlikely that Britain’s economy will suddenly burst into life.

Rarely will a year-end have been celebrated with such collective gratitude and a new one welcomed with such immense hope.

Peter Sharkey looks back at the financial issues which shaped the year in sport.

Although relations between the UK and Europe could hardly be described as cordial at present, there is at least one French president who does not wish to heap the blame for his country’s (and those of his eurozone partners’) horrendous miscalculations on Britain.

Economic reality has hit home in nations as far apart as France and Japan where top-class sport’s insatiable appetite for mountains of cash has been put on an emergency diet.

What must grate with the RFU is the stark, black-and-white contrast between their sport and English cricket.

In their respective quests to be considered ‘big’ clubs, both Chelsea and Manchester City can lay claim to occupying all six leading positions in at least one football table comprising every Premier League concern.

Even the game’s most enthusiastic amateurs – and a considerable number of professionals – often refer disparagingly to golf as ‘a good walk spoilt’.