Andy Gray to Return as Co-Commentator With BT Sport: Nightly Soccer Report

Soccer pundit Andy Gray is returning to British television where he’ll join BT Sport on Saturday to co-commentate the FA Cup match between Stevenage and Everton.

Gray was fired by Sky Sports in 2011 for unacceptable behavior after footage was leaked of him making sexist remarks on-camera. His colleague Richard Keys was also dismissed at the time.

Gray and Keys bounced back from leaving the TV network with a morning radio show on talkSPORT, as well as being hired in the Middle East to analyze European football matches for Al Jazeera Sport (now beIN SPORTS).

Hiring Gray to co-commentate the match on Saturday is seen as a sign of BT Sport’s strategy of building a relationship with beIN SPORTS. Right now, it’s just one match. But if Gray does well, it’s possible he may co-commentate more matches in the future.

Meanwhile, the report mentions that this could be the first steps of beIN SPORTS dipping its toe in the water to possibly try to acquire Premier League rights in the UK in the future. By beIN SPORTS and BT Sport working together, they would be a formidable force against the incumbent Sky Sports.

Here are tonight’s world soccer news headlines:

Premier League

• Andy Gray to return as commentator with BT Sport — The Telegraph
• Wayne Rooney close to agreement with Manchester United over new five-year deal — The Guardian
• Everton inks Lacina Traore on season-long loan — Pro Soccer Talk
• Nicolas Anelka’s ‘quenelle’ FA hearing likely to be end of February — The Guardian
• Sunderland target Valencia star Ever Banega as Poyet looks to bring in third Argentinian — The Mail
• Dutch fitness expert blasts Wenger and Moyes coaching techniques — Pro Soccer Talk
• Paolo Di Canio says Sunderland players did not match his standards — BBC Sport
• Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien joins AC Milan on a free transfer — AC Milan
• Swansea City in £3m bid for Norwich City’s Anthony Pilkington – The Guardian
• Bolton’s David Ngog offers ‘huge potential’ for Swansea — BBC Sport
• Luke Shaw the subject of £22.5m bid from Manchester United — The Mirror
• Chelsea’s José Mourinho will press for new contract for John Terry — The Guardian
• West Brom lead £7million chase for Burnley striker Danny Ings — The Mirror
• Manchester City can join Europe’s elite, says Manuel Pellegrini — The Guardian
• Stoke City poised to terminate Jermaine Pennant contract — The Telegraph

International soccer

• USA names 22-man roster for friendly match against Korea Republic — FOX Sports
• Qatar World Cup: 185 Nepalese died in 2013 — The Guardian
• Fabio Capello signs extension to lead Russia through 2018 World Cup as host nation — Pro Soccer Talk
• Landon Donovan says U.S. never this experienced before World Cup — ESPN FC

Bundesliga

• Bayern start 2014 like they finished 2013, dominant — Bundesliga Fanatic
• Franz Beckenbauer admits Mario Mandzukic could leave the club in the summer — Sky Sports

La Liga

• Barcelona speaks: Spanish club confirms they paid Neymar’s parents $56 million — Pro Soccer Talk

MLS

• Maurice Edu completes move to Philadelphia Union — Goal
• Rio Ferdinand offered MLS transfer as Manchester United contract runs down to final months — The Mirror

The Nightly Soccer Report is tomorrow’s news today. It’s often tomorrow morning’s worldwide newspaper headlines that are published the night before. We do all the work for you, combing the Internet and aggregating the news for you. Read The Nightly Soccer Report on World Soccer Talk every night before bed, so you can stay on top of all the news that matters.