For those whose first order of the day is to trawl the internet for the latest football gossip, 1 April probably provided one or two shocks. April Fools' Day offered a barrage of sensational headlines and it was no different in the world of sport. IBTimes UK considers the best of the rest.

Arsenal's left-footed football

In what was possibly the biggest breakthrough since Ned Flanders opened the Leftorium, Arsenal and Puma teamed together to unveil world's first ever left-footed football, which will "increase the accuracy, power and precision of a left-footed player".

While left footers Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla and Nacho Monrea rejoiced, right-back Hector Bellerin was quick to point out the challenges millions of right footers would face when faced with controlling Puma's latest offering for the first time. The Spaniard said: "It is a bit tricky to use on your right foot but it instantly improved my left foot."

Emile Heskey is coming home

Never one far from the perilous world of football #banter, Emile Heskey swiftly joined the party.

The former England international's plight as a professional footballer has been the source of plenty of humour over the years and this dead horse was given another firm flogging by the lads behind the Twitter account of BBC 606. They sparked whispers of the Anfield legend returning to his spiritual home to fill the void left by injured again Daniel Sturridge.

Usain Bolt signs for Manchester United

As well as being the finest sprinter ever to grace the planet, Usain Bolt also happens to be a bit of a dreamer. The Jamaican superstar still harbours hope of pursuing a career in football when he retires from athletics in 2017 and would like nothing better to pull on the red of Manchester United.

Metro relaunched this story with the line that Bolt had been handed a short-term contract after signing a deal allowing him to play for the reserves.

Ashley Cole's amicable Arsenal departure remembered

"They've agreed £55k and this is their best and final offer. Are you happy with that?"

"When I heard Jonathan [Barnett] repeat the figure of £55k, I nearly swerved off the road. 'He's taking the p**s, Jonathan,' I yelled down the phone. I was so incensed. I was trembling with anger. I couldn't believe what I'd heard."

For Arsenal fans, that passage of Ashley Cole's critically acclaimed My Defence still stings a bit. The Gunners youth product-turned Chelsea stalwart now resides in Rome but a story in the Evening Standard detailing Arsenal and Chelsea's plans to reward the full-back with the unprecedented honour a first ever half-and-half statue will have reawakened the ire of fuming Gunners.

"The brief was that, as Cole is held with such affection by both Arsenal and Chelsea fans, I must find a way of marking his time at both clubs," mused its Norwegian sculptor, Olaf Lipro.

Qatar invited to participate in Euro 2020

The Daily Telegraph joined the party in spectacular fashion with its report detailing Fifa's plan to invite Qatar to play in the 2020 European Championships to "help the country develop a footballing culture ahead of the 2022 World Cup".

The latest radical step from world football's governing body included Sepp Blatter's personal seal of approval to give the 2022 hosts a taste for international football, as well as providing European teams a chance to "get to know" their 2022 hosts better.

The move also included a hearty thumbs up from England boss Roy Hodgson, who added: "It will give us a welcome taste of what conditions will be like there in 2022, with the heat and the sand."

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