Sean Payton confirmed he has had a conversation with the Denver Broncos about their vacant head coach position.

Payton left his role with the New Orleans Saints at the end of last season, having compiled a record of 152-89 during his 15 seasons in charge, which saw him lead them to a first Super Bowl title in franchise history in the 2009 campaign.

His departure was quickly viewed as the start of a sabbatical rather than a retirement, with Payton regarded as a top head coaching candidate this offseason.

It was reported the Broncos, who fired Nathaniel Hackett following their Christmas Day defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, had asked the Saints, who still retain the rights to Payton's contract, for permission to speak with him.

Asked about his contract status as part of his role as a studio analyst for FOX Sports, Payton said: "I have two years left on a contract with New Orleans, so 23 [this upcoming year] and 24, so because of that, any team that would want to enquire and speak with me, they can do so, they just need permission from the Saints.

"Down the road, if that's something that materialises into anything else, then there would be compensation required, much like a player trade.

"Denver's the first team. I was able to have a conversation with their owner, and that's kind of protocol.

"The interview process can't officially begin until the 17th of this month, so that's really where it's at."

The Broncos are in a difficult position, having traded two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris and tight end Noah Fant to acquire nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson, who has subsequently endured the worst season of his career.

Pressed on whether the quarterback is the most important thing with any potential new team, Payton replied: "It's really about the triangular relationship. Ownership, front office, head coach.

"When we went to New Orleans, the quarterback was unsettled at that time. I think ownership and the functionality of the front office is most important."

Tyson Fury's camp have sent a draft contract to Oleksandr Usyk and his team to sign, with co-promoter Frank Warren reaffirming plans for a March bout.

The Briton and the Ukrainian look set to hold an undisputed world heavyweight title fight in two months, with apparent progress between both parties on an agreement.

Usyk defended his WBA-Super heavyweight, IBF, and WBO belts against Anthony Joshua in August last year, while Fury completed a trilogy bout with Derek Chisora in December.

Now, Warren reveals the papers are in the hands of Usyk and his entourage, with the promoter hopeful a deal can be struck soon.

"We've sent them a draft contract, that's where we're at," he told talkSPORT Fight Night. "It's got to be sorted out very quickly because time is against us."

No location has been agreed on yet for any fight, with Fury able to command huge audiences in his native United Kingdom and Usyk having enjoyed a major Saudi Arabia payday.

Warren stressed no call had been made, simply adding: "[It will be] wherever the most money comes from.

"Nothing is in place from anywhere outside the UK. We know what it can generate in the UK, but if it goes elsewhere, then that depends on what the numbers are.

"I know a lot of people complain about it, and I agree it should be at Wembley. I'd love to see it there.

"But Muhammad Ali and George Foreman went and fought in Zaire, then you had the Thrilla in Manila, you had the big fights in Jamaica.

"They went where the money was, and these guys will do the same thing."

The winners of Manchester City's FA Cup third-round clash with Chelsea will face Premier League leaders Arsenal or Oxford United.

Top-flight champions City host Chelsea on Sunday, with Arsenal's bid for a record-extending 15th FA Cup success beginning with a visit to the League One U's on Monday.

Holders Liverpool, who overcame Chelsea on penalties in the 2022 final, will head to Brighton and Hove Albion if they can get past a replay with Wolves.

Manchester United host a Reading side managed by former midfielder Paul Ince, while Tottenham head to second-tier Preston North End.

Sheffield Wednesday's prize for stunning Newcastle United is a home draw against fellow League One side Fleetwood Town, while non-League high-flyers Wrexham welcome Sheffield United.

Elsewhere, West Ham head to third-tier Derby County, and struggling Southampton will take on Blackpool after the Seasiders dumped out Nottingham Forest.

Ties will be played on the weekend of 28 January.

FA Cup fourth-round draw in full:

Preston North End v Tottenham

Southampton v Blackpool

Wrexham v Sheffield United

Ipswich Town v Burnley

Manchester United v Reading

Luton Town or Wigan Athletic v Grimsby Town

Derby County v West Ham

Stoke City v Aston Villa or Stevenage

Blackburn Rovers v Forest Green Rovers or Birmingham City

Walsall v Leicester City

Sheffield Wednesday v Fleetwood Town

Manchester City or Chelsea v Oxford United or Arsenal

Bristol City or Swansea City v Chesterfield or West Brom

Brighton and Hove Albion v Liverpool or Wolves

Fulham v Sunderland

Boreham Wood or Accrington Stanley v Cardiff City or Leeds United

Barcelona head coach Xavi angered his counterpart at upcoming Copa del Rey opponents Ceuta after suggesting the Blaugrana were "lucky" to get a favourable tie.

Saturday's draw for the last 16 saw Barca paired with the lowest-ranked side left in the competition, as Ceuta prop up Group 1 of the Primera Division RFEF, Spain's third tier.

Xavi subsequently said he thought Barca had "been lucky in a draw for the first time since I've been a coach here", referencing the club's tricky previous assignments in the Copa, Champions League and Europa League under the former Spain international.

Nevertheless, Xavi also pointed to the fact another third-tier side in Intercity caused them problems in the round of 32, taking Barca to extra time before Ansu Fati secured a 4-3 victory.

But the use of the word "lucky" irritated Ceuta boss Jose Juan Romero, who surmised Xavi was out of touch because he had not needed to build his way up from the bottom of the football pyramid in his coaching career.

"We don't go into the game to ask for their shirts, we are going to go all out," Romero told Cadena SER.

"When the game is over, we will see if there has been more luck or less luck.

"Maybe he doesn't know what it takes for [smaller] teams to get to these situations, because he has had a much easier path in the coaching world.

"I can't be two-faced, I don't have another [face]. I always try to respect a lot, and I give so much value to the lower leagues because I come from the bottom. [Xavi's comment] didn't sit well with me or the club.

"I am an admirer of Xavi. As a footballer, for me, he has been one of the greatest for Spain, but he has surprised me. I didn't like it.

"We are going to go into the game with great enthusiasm. For sure, they will not have it easy.

"Then, maybe they'll put five past us, but we are going to play the game."

LeBron James has expressed his frustration at the lack of trade movement for the Los Angeles Lakers following the 136-134 victory against the Sacramento Kings.

A fifth consecutive win saw the Lakers improve to 19-21, a game back of the 10th seed Utah Jazz, who occupy what would be the final place in the Western Conference play-in tournament.

That is still well below the expectations that surround James and the Lakers franchise, and their inactivity in the market has raised eyebrows, as has the apparent reluctance to trade the 2027 and 2029 first-round picks that some feel can be used to improve the roster.

With the February 9 trade deadline on the horizon, James made it clear his patience on the matter is waning, telling the Athletic: "I play the game. I worry about who's in the locker room. I can't do nobody else's job.

"Listen, you guys know. It's not rocket science. I'm doing what's best for my guys in the locker room. That's all I can worry about.

"Y'all know what the f*** should be happening. I don't need to talk."

The Lakers were reportedly considering trading Russell Westbrook and both first-rounders to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield but elected to wait for a deal that would have a greater impact upon the team.

Despite the loss of key players and poor early-season form, the Lakers sit just two wins off sixth place and are 7.5 games adrift of Western Conference leaders the Denver Nuggets.

Mikaela Shiffrin equalled Lindsey Vonn's record for the most Alpine Skiing World Cup victories by a woman with her win in Kranjska Gora on Sunday.

The American moved level with her compatriot by prevailing in the giant slalom in northwestern Slovenia, winning by a margin of 0.77 seconds.

Two-time Olympic gold medallist Shiffrin, who has won four overall World Cup titles, is now just four wins shy of the overall wins record held by Ingemar Stenmark.

Shiffrin led by 0.24 seconds after the first run and stretched her advantage on the second, finishing ahead of Federica Brignone in second and Lara Gut-Behrami in third.

"I was so nervous this run, I have a rash on my face because I was so nervous," said Shiffrin.

"Maybe it was because of the 82, I don't know, I just really wanted to ski it well and I did. I can't believe it.

"It was a fight. But it was pretty amazing conditions and I got a report from the coaches and they were like, 'It's really attackable, so just go for it.

"I've been in this position before and I've given it away and today I wanted to fight for it.''

Shiffrin's 82 wins have come in 233 races compared to 395 for Vonn.

The 27-year-old, who debuted in the World Cup at the age of 15, will get the chance to break the record in Tuesday's slalom under the lights in Flachau, Austria.

Shiffrin heads into that race with a 419-point lead in the overall World Cup standings.

A six-time gold medallist at the Alpine World Ski Championships, Shiffrin will look to add to that tally next month in France. Two golds would give her the second-most all-time for men and women behind only Christl Cranz. She has 11 medals overall, four short of Cranz's record tally of 15.

The Buffalo Bills have guaranteed Damar Hamlin's full contract after he was placed on injured reserve, reports state.

Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest in the Week 17 clash against the Cincinnati Bengals, which will not resume, and was administered CPR on the field before being rushed to hospital.

In an update on Saturday, the Bills stated Hamlin had excellent neurological function but remains in critical condition, while the player himself took to social media to express his gratitude for the support he has been given.

With Hamlin being placed on injured reserve, his split rate was due to fall from $825,000 to $455,000 but the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport has stated the Bills have ensured he will receive the full amount, despite not being on the active roster.

The Bills have reportedly worked out an agreement with the NFL and the NFLPA in order to be able to do so.

On Sunday, the Bills' final regular season game against the New England Patriots will include a special acknowledgement for the medical staff pregame and '3' hats on the sidelines.

Hamlin, who remains at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, will watch the game from his hospital bed.

Erik ten Hag joked he may need to crowdsource funds from young Manchester United fans when asked if the club would sign Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe.

United are expected to bolster their ranks during the January transfer window, as they continue to cement their revival under Ten Hag.

Moves for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Bellingham and Paris Saint-Germain forward Mbappe, however, are unlikely to be on the table.

That hasn't stopped supporters quizzing Ten Hag on a deal for either player, to which the manager joked he may need more than just the backing of the board to pursue any move.

"I want to," he told a group of young fans who asked him whether he could buy the pair. "Have you any pennies for me?"

United will not be needing to dip into the pockets of their fanbase to fulfil any moves this window, though quite who Ten Hag will bring through the door remains to be seen.

Jack Butland has been brought in on loan from Crystal Palace to replace Martin Dubravka, who has returned to Newcastle United, while United are also said to be interested in Wout Weghorst, the striker who is on loan at Besiktas from Burnley.

England midfielder Bellingham is widely tipped to depart Dortmund later this year, with Liverpool, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City all said to be keen.

France attacker Mbappe only extended his stay with PSG ahead in May last year.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has hit out at "adverse reaction" to the announcement that Andretti and General Motors are joining forces in a bid to enter Formula One.

Andretti, partnering with GM's Cadillac brand, announced their desire to become the 11th team on the grid on Friday.

There are hurdles to overcome, however, the biggest being a reported $200million fee that would be split among existing teams as consolation for the reduced amount they would receive in shared revenue.

Any addition would not occur to 2026 at the earliest, a year where Audi will make their bow having completed a takeover of Alfa Romeo/Sauber, but Ben Sulayem has noted some of the negative responses.

"It is surprising that there has been some adverse reaction to the Cadillac and Andretti news," he posted on Twitter.

"The FIA has accepted the entries of smaller, successful organisations in recent years. We should be encouraging prospective F1 entries from global manufacturers like GM and thoroughbred racers like Andretti and others.

"Interest from teams in growth markets adds diversity and broadens F1's appeal."

America is a targeted area of growth for F1, with Miami joining the list of venues last year and the addition of Las Vegas in 2023.

Cody Gakpo acknowledged he had some "sloppy moments" on his Liverpool debut, but otherwise feels he will improve over the coming weeks.

The Dutchman made his first appearance for the Reds since arriving from PSV in their 2-2 draw with Wolves in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Though he was denied an assist through a botched Toti clearing header, Gakpo effectively set up Mohamed Salah for his side's second goal.

But those incidents aside, it was something of a muted bow for the winger, and Gakpo recognised he has room to improve.

"[It was a] really great atmosphere," he told the club's official website. "For my own game, I think I showed some good moments.

"[But I also had] some sloppy moments. I can still improve on those points and keep working and try to help the team as much as I can.

"Of course, you learn the most when you're playing games, so I'm looking forward [to more]."

Goals for Goncalo Guedes and Hwang Hee-chan ensured Liverpool will face a replay at Molineux after they were held by Julen Lopetegui's visitors at Anfield.

The Reds were dominant on the ball, but defensive lapses meant strikes from Salah and Darwin Nunez were not enough to see them through to the fourth round.

Gakpo was not too disheartened, however, convinced the Reds were bright at times.

He added: "I think we played, in phases, really good football.

"We didn't score enough, so that's a pity. But I think we showed what we could do. We can still improve on some points, [so] let's work on that.

"I think we showed real team spirited, so that's good. We have to go there [to Molineux] with great determination and just go for the win."

Hoffenheim have temporarily removed Georginio Rutter from their first-team environment due to speculation over a transfer to Leeds United causing him to become "preoccupied".

Rutter has reportedly emerged as a primary target of the Premier League side, who are supposedly ready to part with £26.5million (€30m) to bring the 20-year-old to Elland Road.

Media speculation suggests he has already agreed personal terms with Leeds, who are keen to bolster their attacking options in their bid to avoid relegation – they are only two points above the bottom three.

Rutter, a France Under-21 international, joined Hoffenheim from Rennes at the start of February 2021 for a fee said to be around €500,000, and although still raw, has since gone on to show real promise in the Bundesliga.

But Hoffenheim have taken the decision to sideline him from first-team operations, which includes him sitting out training and Monday's friendly against Servette.

"For the time being, Georginio Rutter will not take part at all in training or in the friendly match against Servette," a club statement read.

"Since yesterday [Friday], there have been rumours circulating of a move to the Premier League for the Frenchman."

The club's director of football, Alexander Rosen, added: "Georgi has been confronted with a major issue that is taking a lot of his energy.

"He is a young man and it is therefore understandable that he is preoccupied by the current situation.

"From our side, it is a case of dealing with a young man in a responsible manner and for that reason, we have decided that he should not participate in full training with the first team right now."

Julian Nagelsmann is not worried by Borussia Monchengladbach's declaration that Yann Sommer is not for sale.

Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich have a goalkeeping conundrum to solve ahead of the season's resumption later this month, after Manuel Neuer suffered a broken leg during a skiing accident.

Sommer, who is out of contract in June, has been touted as a candidate to be drafted in to fill Neuer's void, though Gladbach's sporting director Roland Virkus made it clear that the club were not willing to negotiate a sale.

Nagelsmann is not concerned, however, as he feels the comments are part and parcel of the mid-season window.

"I didn't faint at the headline," he said in a press conference when asked about Virkus' comments.

"If he had said the door was open, his board would also have asked him, 'is everything okay with you?' You have to keep your poker face."

Should a move for Sommer not materialise, another option for Bayern would be to recall Alexander Nubel from his loan at Monaco, though Nagelsmann claimed he has not spoken to the 26-year-old.

"I've never really had contact with him. He was already gone when I came, so he was never really my player," he explained.

"I know him as a goalkeeper, but not as a person. At the very beginning we texted, but that was a long time ago. It wouldn't do him much good if I picked up the phone."

Should a new addition not arrive in January, Nagelsmann is happy to call on long-time back-up goalkeeper Sven Ulreich.

Nagelsmann said: "Ulreich played some great games in the first half of the season. He was very solid. That is also the case in training.

"He had a small mistake. Ulle is very relaxed and has known his role for years."

Bayern resume their push for an 11th consecutive Bundesliga title on January 20 against RB Leipzig.

Julian Nagelsmann has elected against discussing Germany's poor World Cup with his Bayern Munich players.

Seven Bayern players featured in Germany's World Cup squad, as Hansi Flick's side failed to progress from the group stage in Qatar.

A defeat to Japan in their Group E opener was followed by a 1-1 draw with Spain, and a 4-2 victory over Costa Rica was not enough to send Germany through.

It is the second successive World Cup that Germany have failed to make the knockout stage, but Nagelsmann – who succeeded Flick at Bayern and has taken his squad to Doha for a training camp – does not believe it is his job to discuss the tournament with his players.

""I thought a lot about how we would address it during the break. I decided on very little," he told reporters.

"The players have the opportunity to come to me. I deliberately left them alone.

"I'm not much of a comforter. It's always a matter of choice. I can talk for half an hour about the bad, sad World Cup. Or I just leave it out.

"Focus on what they can influence – in the present and in the future. I tried to limit myself to that."

Indeed, Nagelsmann hopes the Bayern players instead turn their disappointment into motivation for the rest of the season.

"I can imagine what it means when you are eliminated from a World Cup," he said.

"But sometimes it's night, then it's usually day again. It's day now and there's a lot of light.

"You have it in your own hands to be more successful than you were at the World Cup.

"We, as the coaching staff, need to create the foundation for the players to perform at their best.

"Frustration and disappointment can also be the biggest motivating factor. I sense they are in a good place, they're training well and are fit."

While Thomas Muller, Joshua Kimmich and the rest of Bayern's Germany players endured a difficult World Cup, Dayot Upamecano established himself as a key part of France's defence.

Upamecano made a spectacular block as France drew 3-3 with Argentina in a thrilling final, only for Les Bleus to lose on penalties, but Nagelsmann has been impressed with the 24-year-old's development over the course of the campaign.

"Upamecano has been solid, as he was in the first half of the season, when he developed well," Nagelsmann said.

"He was also on top form in training. He had a good World Cup and he was one of the best defenders. We need him in top form."