Ryan Bertrand reveals rare ambition to become a director of football... but Southampton star insists there must be a fight against any 'element of racism' that prevents those from BAME backgrounds entering the boardroom

Ryan Bertrand has revealed he is planning for a future career in football not on the training pitches as a coach but in the boardroom at executive level.

A player outwardly stating such an ambition is almost unheard of but the Southampton and England full-back, 30, has a passion for business, which started when as a child he accompanied his mother to work at investment bank Morgan Stanley. He now trades himself and has a tech start-up business.

A move into the boardroom would also be almost unprecedented for a player from a Black, Asian or ethnic minority (BAME) background.