| IN OTHER NEWS Record $9.63 billion on transfers: Clubs worldwide spent a record $9.63 billion on international transfers last year, surpassing the previous record set in 2019 by more than $2 billion, says AFP quoting a FIFA report. The latest figures represent a 48.1 per cent increase compared to 2022 when transfer spending began to climb again after two years of belt-tightening due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The top 10 player transfers in 2023 accounted for over 10% of the entire outlay. Those deals included Jude Bellingham's move to Real Madrid, Enzo Fernandez joining Chelsea and Harry Kane signing for Bayern Munich. English clubs, led by Chelsea, again topped the list by splashing out a combined $2.96 billion –three times as much as those in France, which placed second on the list. Clubs from Saudi Arabia broke into the top five spenders for the first time with a combined outlay of $970 million. Chelsea’s record signing: Chelsea have signed Colombian forward Mayra Ramirez from Levante, in what is a world record fee in women's football, reports Reuters. The deal is worth €450,000 ($488,610). The 24-year-old, who joined Levante in 2022, has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Women's Super League club. “The deal amounts to €450,000, plus €50,000 in variable amounts based on goals that the club expects to be met, one of which requires Ramirez to play 30 per cent of the matches,” the Spanish club said. The previous record was the €400,000 paid by Barcelona to sign England midfielder Kiera Walsh from Manchester City in 2022. Ramirez has made 30 appearances for Colombia, and was a member of the national team which reached the quarter-finals of the 2023 Women's World Cup.  Mayra Ramirez (Source: Chelsea FC) Friendly in Russia: Russia is set to host Serbia in a friendly in Moscow in March. It will be Russia’s first men's national team game against European opponents since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, says AP . The Russian Football Union has said in a social media post that the game will be played on March 21 at Dynamo Moscow's stadium. Russian national teams and clubs are banned from UEFA competitions, but that suspension does not apply to friendlies. ‘‘Aggressive’’ journalists: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has banned the “aggressive” journalists who confronted coach Jesus Casas following Iraq's defeat in the last 16 of the Asian Cup, reports AFP. Casas's Iraq conceded two goals deep in stoppage time in a surprise 3-2 defeat to lower-ranked Jordan in Qatar on Monday. In the post-match press conference, some Iraqi reporters pointed and shouted at the Spaniard, and approached him at the front of the room, before being ushered out by security. The AFC “have taken the swift decision to bar the responsible individuals from covering not only the Asian Cup (in) Qatar but also future AFC tournaments,” according to a statement. Former China official pleads guilty: The former head of China's top football body Chen Xuyuan has pleaded guilty to bribery, says AFP quoting Beijing's state media. Chen – who as boss of the Chinese Football Association (CFA) once promised to turn a page on the corruption scandals that have plagued the sport –has been under investigation for nearly one year. The prosecution has accused him of taking more than 81 million yuan ($11.3 million) in bribes in exchange for helping with “project contracting, investment and operation”, among other matters. The judgement will be announced at a later, unspecified, date. Poojary, Sana at Bengaluru: Bengaluru FC signed India right-back Nikhil Poojary and central defender Chinglensana Singh from Hyderabad FC, the club has announced. Born in Karnataka, Poojary joins on a long-term deal till the end of 2027-28. The duration of Singh’s contract was not mentioned but it is likely to be for five-and-a-half years. Check out the major ISL transfers here  Nikhil Poojary (left) and Chinglensana Singh (Source: AFP) Rakitic moves to Saudi Arabia: Ivan Rakitic, 35, is the latest to leave Europe for Saudi Arabia, moving from Spanish club Sevilla to Al Shabab, reports AP. Sevilla announced the deal on Tuesday, ending the Croatian's stint with the club after 323 appearances over two separate periods. Shevchenko president: Former Milan and Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko has been elected president of the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) unanimously, says AP. Shevchenko won 93 of 94 votes at its congress, the UAF said. It added that Shevchenko, Ukraine's all-time top scorer with 48 goals in 111 games from 1995 to 2012, was entitled to cast the 94th vote as a delegate but did not do so. Shevchenko won the Champions League with Milan in 2003 and the Ballon d'Or the following year. As UAF president he replaces Andriy Pavelko, who had been in charge since 2015 and is a member of the UEFA executive committee. Pavelko is due to face trial in Ukraine in a long-running legal dispute over accusations of embezzling funds.  President Shevchenko (Source: Reuters) India name SAFF U-19 squad: India head coach Shukla Dutta has announced a 23-member squad for the SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship, beginning in Dhaka on Friday. India will start against Bhutan on February 2, followed by matches against Bangladesh (February 4) and Nepal (February 6), reports PTI The final is on February 8. Bayern sign Boey: Injury-hit Bayern Munich have signed fullback Sacha Boey from Galatasaray on a contract until 2028, the German champions have said, reports Reuters. Turkish Super League champions Galatasaray said in a statement that Bayern would pay a fee of €30 million ($32.59 million). The 23-year-old former France youth international had joined Galatasaray on a four-year contract in 2021 from Stade Rennais. Replay after VAR error: A Belgian Pro League match between Anderlecht and Genk will be replayed in full due to a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) error, after the Disciplinary Council for Professional Football ruled in favour of a Genk appeal, says Reuters. After suffering a 2-1 defeat at Anderlecht's Lotto Park on December 23, four-time champions Genk filed a complaint with the Referee Department saying an incorrect VAR decision had been made following a penalty kick. The incident occurred after winger Yira Sor fired in from a rebound past Anderlecht goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel seconds after Bryan Heynen's penalty miss. But the goal was ruled out following a VAR check as replays showed Sor was inside the penalty area. However, the replays also showed encroachment, with two Anderlecht players inside the penalty area as the spot-kick was being taken. “The Council .. followed Genk's argument that the match officials misapplied the rules at the penalty phase in question,” Genk said in a statement. | 
