Prieto: Real Sociedad captain Xabi Prieto has signed a one-year contract extension with the club. The 33-year-old was in the final months of his previous deal, which was due to expire in June. Prieto has spent his entire career with his hometown club, coming through the youth ranks and spending time with Real Sociedad B before making his first-team debut in 2003.

Gisdol: Hamburg coach Markus Gisdol has signed a new two-year contract which will keep him at the club until 2019. Gisdol, who replaced Bruno Labbadia as Hamburg boss last September, has steered the team to seven points from their last three Bundesliga games, boosting their hopes of beating the drop.

Minute's silence: A minute’s applause will be held prior to Northern Ireland’s World Cup qualifier with Norway in Belfast this weekend as a tribute to Derry City skipper Ryan McBride. The 27-year-old, who made more than 100 league appearances for his hometown club after making his debut in 2011, died on Sunday at his home having captained his club to a 4-0 victory over Drogheda United the day before.

Kranjcar: Rangers midfielder Niko Kranjcar is eyeing a return to full fitness in time for pre-season after his “nightmare” knee injury. The Croatian ruptured a cruciate ligament in October and has progressed to doing fitness work outside as well as his gym rehab. The 32-year-old told Rangers TV: “The recovery process has been a nightmare, this is definitely the worst injury I have ever had, the longest I had been out before was probably two months and this is between six and nine months.”

Ledley: Joe Ledley could miss Wales’ World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland if his pregnant wife Ruby goes into labour before the Dublin clash.  Ruby is due to give birth to the couple’s third child – they are already parents to daughters Layla and Reeva – a few days after Wales take on group leaders the Republic.