Future unclear for Suarez

Former Manchester United director Maurice Watkins is to become the new chairman of Championship side Barnsley next week.

Watkins was a director at United for 28 years between 1984 and 2012, and he is currently chairman of British swimming and a non-executive director of the Rugby Football League.

He will now return to a football boardroom, almost a year since he left his Old Trafford post, and is excited about the prospect.

"It's great to be back in football at club level and my message is loud and clear - Barnsley means business," said Watkins.

"The Championship is a hard league with many great clubs and, when you think a club was relegated last season with 54 points, that sums up the quality.

"Our task now is to make progress in the league, strengthen our position and get even more fans behind the club.

"I can bring a wealth of football knowledge and experience, having been involved with the game at the highest level with Manchester United for over 28 years."

Barnsley owner Patrick Cryne added: "Many people will know Maurice from Manchester United, but what they won't know is that he operates in a range of different commercial spheres and sports interests.

"He is a sound strategic thinker and very clear on how to organise and how a football club should be run."

Reports on Thursday evening claimed that the friendly was in serious doubt and was the subject of a suspension order by a local judge.

The Rio de Janeiro state government soon confirmed its intention to appeal against the ruling and sources close to FIFA expect the high-profile match to be played.

The Maracana has only just re-opened after a major facelift ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games, and this will be the first big match hosted there since the changes were made.

Renovations ran more than four months over, with seats still being installed a matter of days before the test event that marked its' re-opening, a friendly between teams captained by Brazil football legends Ronaldo and Bebeto.

England flew out to Rio in the wake of their 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland at Wembley on Wednesday for what will be their final game before the remaining World Cup qualifiers in September and October.

Chief news reporter Bryan Swanson told Sky Sports News: "This relates to the state government of Rio de Janeiro and simply put they are yet to issue a safety certificate for the Maracana Stadium.

"The state government are the owners of the Maracana and when you organise any events you need a safety certificate. FIFA officials have told us that this is down to a bureaucratic failure - they have been informed that this will be solved on Friday.

"This friendly has been fully organised by the Brazilian federation so FIFA are not directly involved in this match. Thursday is a public holiday in Brazil but the state government has issued a note to say that, as far as they are concerned, this will be resolved on Friday and there is no significant concern about the state of this game taking place this weekend.

"This was meant to be the showpiece event for the renovated Maracana. FIFA has long faced questions about just how ready Brazil will be for the World Cup and this event was meant to pass off without any incidents. While there isn't any considerable concern about the future of this game in the short-term, clearly in the long-term questions will be asked."

Everton are looking for a replacement for David Moyes, who has left to join Manchester United, and Roberto Martinez is hot favourite to take the post.

However, Vitor Pereira of Porto is also in the mix, and 54-year-old Rangnick has now emerged as a contender as well.

Rangnick has managed several German sides but stepped down as Schalke boss in September 2011, citing exhaustion.

Sky Sports reporter Vinny O'Connor said on Thursday evening: "There have been several rumours about the next Everton manager.

"And one of the names who has constantly cropped up is Ralf Rangnick, the former Schalke coach. He enjoyed success with them in the Bundesliga, but left in 2011.

"It is my understanding that there has been a meeting between Everton and Ralf Rangnick, and he is one of the contenders for the vacant manager's job.

"We know (Everton chairman) Bill Kenwright met with Roberto Martinez yesterday, and we also know from sources at Wigan that they want an answer relatively quickly as to what's going on regarding Robert Martinez, because they want to find a replacement should he be going to Everton.

"So, we know Kenwright met with Martinez, we know he met with Porto coach Vitor Pereira last week, and now we also know that Ralf Rangnick is another name in the frame."

With the Reds' failure to qualify for the Champions League again the Uruguay international's future has been the subject of much speculation.

That increased when the 26-year-old gave an interview to a radio station in his homeland in which he suggested he could not ignore approach from Spanish giants Real.

His agent Pere Guardiola has intimated the striker was content at Liverpool and the player has reaffirmed that himself, although he has far from ruled out an Anfield exit

"I do not know when I'm going and I do not know if I'm staying," said Suarez at a national team press conference ahead of a friendly against France on June 5 in Montevideo.

"Obviously the club want me to stay, but I've talked to the coach (Brendan Rodgers) and he knows what I want.

"He was a player and my team-mates understand that my situation is difficult.

"It's a good moment for a change of environment because of all I've been through in England, where I haven't been judged as a player but based on other things.

"I have only words of thanks to the club, the fans of Liverpool, but the treatment I received from the rest of England in recent weeks has been tough.

"It (Liverpool) is a spectacular club, but they are aware of the way that the press treats me".