Shirt Sponsor Threatens to Axe West Brom Deal Over Nicolas Anelka Salute: Daily Soccer Report

West Bromwich Albion’s shirt sponsor has threatened to immediately axe their deal with the club if Nicolas Anelka plays against Everton on Monday night, according to a report by industry publication MarketingWeek.

The initial controversy erupted after Anelka made the salute, which is a reverse Nazi symbol, in the match against West Ham United. Anelka said he made the salute as a gesture to his friend, who just so happens to be a known anti-semitic comedian. The salute angered many Jewish people around the globe, particularly in France.

West Brom’s shirt sponsor Zoopla is co-owned by a Jewish businessman. The company’s shirt deal with West Brom ends at the end of this season, but West Brom have reportedly been looking into securing a temporary shirt sponsor if Zoopla carries through with its threat.

The FA are continuing to investigate the gesture and an announcement regarding the investigation isn’t expected until early next week. However, it may be too late by then to save their sponsor from abandoning the club.

Here are today’s world soccer news headlines:

Premier League

• Zoopla on the brink of axing West Brom deal over controversial Anelka salute — Marketing Week
• Aston Villa secure loan deal for Chelsea ace Ryan Bertrand — Aston Villa FC
• Ryan Bertrand becomes 23rd Chelsea player to be farmed out on loan — 101GG
• Manchester United midfielder Anderson is going to Fiorentina on loan — Man Utd
• Furious Wilfried Zaha storms out of Manchester United training ground as loan move blocked — Goal
• Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho won’t rule Manchester United out of the title race — 101GG
• Southampton chairman says the club players are not for sale in this window — Southampton FC
• David Moyes fined £8,000 by The FA for outburst against referees — The FA
• Yanga-Mbiwa’s letter of apology to Man City star Nasri — Shields Gazette
• Arsène Wenger hints he is close to signing Arsenal contract extension — The Guardian
• Michael Laudrup will not let Neil Taylor go – for now – despite rumoured Fulham interest — Evening Post
• Liverpool plot move for Lazio midfielder Antonio Candreva — Metro
• Swansea City could move for Manchester City’s Abdisalam Ibrahim — Evening Post
• Sunderland sack Director of Football Roberto De Fanti after dismal recruitment in transfer market — Telegraph
• West Ham’s Maiga rejects loan move to QPR, leaving Redknapp to consider other options — The Mail
• Michael Laudrup hunts midfielder after Jose Canas blow – but it cannot be Ki Sung-Yueng — Evening Post
• Roy Keane to work with Roddy Doyle on latest memoirs — The Guardian
• What Salomon Kalou can bring to Tottenham’s struggling attack — Bleacher Report
• Mikel and Anderson are victims of English football’s creative distrust — ESPN FC
• Javier Hernandez could join Valencia in La Liga — Goal
• Sky Sports sits down for an emotional interview with Emmanuel Adebayor — SportingLife

La Liga

• Coca-Cola happy paying around £70m A YEAR to sponsor Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu — The Mail

International soccer

• Blatter claims World Cup misused, urges against boycotts — FOX Soccer

MLS

• Don Garber says MLS is losing between $75M-100M per year — Sports Business Daily

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