Pele’s London highlife

PELE’S enduring reputation as the world’s greatest footballer will be enhanced during a short stopover in London today. The Brazilian legend is due at the Halcyon Gallery in Mayfair to promote an art exhibition inspired by his life and to celebrate his 75th birthday in October. On display will be pop artist Andy Warhol’s original acrylic and silkscreen ink on canvas 1977 work of Pele in his final year with New York Cosmos. The painting is valued at $10million — and no picture of Ronaldo, Messi or Maradona can compete with that. Later, Pele will be going to a party organised by his agents Ten10, where he will be introduced to other clients including Jack Wilshere. WILLIE McKAY, one of football’s most notorious agents, has been declared bankrupt at a hearing in Glasgow. McKay, who used to run his agency business from the multi-millionaire tax haven of Monaco and had racing stables in Yorkshire, revealed assets of just £987, while court documents detailed that he owed £713,292. WHEN football democracy is so skewered that Sepp Blatter’s three rivals for the FIFA presidency are denied the opportunity to address the Central American CONCACAF confederation, no wonder Blatter feels no need to set up an election team. However, it does look like Blatter has been promising his support for the 2019 FIFA leadership to CONCACAF chief Jeffrey Webb, who is noticeably more aligned to Blatter than he was a few months ago. THERE is no stopping the Kevin Pietersen charm offensive with his KP24 foundation backing a campaign for a pioneering cancer treatment to be made available on the NHS.