..::Football II::..

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Chelsea agree Van Ginkel deal

The Netherlands Under-21 international, who was set out as a summer target for the London club, is expected to complete his move in the next few days
Chelsea have confirmed an agreement has been reached with Vitesse to sign Marco van Ginkel.

The 20-year-old's move to Stamford Bridge is subject to a medical and the agreement of personal terms, with the fee believed to be in the region of €10.5 million.

Goal exclusively revealed in May that Chelsea were set to secure the services of the youngster, who has been tipped to become a leading star for the Netherlands and shone during the Under-21 European Championships.

The midfielder was recently named Netherlands 'Talent of the Year' after his stellar season with Vitesse, scoring eight goals and helping them to secure Europa League football for the upcoming season.

His performances last season also earned a first senior call-up to Louis van Gaal's national squad for a friendly against Germany in which he made his debut coming on as a substitute.

Chelsea's close relationship with the Dutch outfit has helped secure the services of Van Ginkel, having previously sent the likes of Gael Kakuta and Patrick van Aanholt on loan to help the club's growth.

 

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Ambrosini joins Fiorentina

The veteran midfielder left AC Milan following the completion of his contract but has immediately returned to Serie A with the Viola on a 12-month deal
Former AC Milan midfielder Massimo Ambrosini has joined Fiorentina on a one-year deal.

The central midfielder will be a Viola player until the end of the forthcoming season having left San Siro last month following the end of his contract with the Rossoneri, for whom he had played for since 1995.

Fiorentina confirmed the deal on Thursday after the 35-time capped Italy international's agent revealed at the end of June that a deal was imminent with the Florence-based club.The Serie A side's official website staded: "Fiorentina wish to communicate that the club have purchased the rights to the player Massimo Ambrosini."The footballer has signed a contract that will bind him to the club until 30 June 2014."

The 35-year-old is a two-time Champions League winner and joins the likes of Marcos Alonso from Bolton, Joaquin from Malaga and Marko Bakic from Torino as a new Artemio Franchi arrival this summer.

 

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Aubameyang joins Dortmund

The 24-year-old striker arrives from Saint-Etienne and has agreed to a five-year deal with the Champions League runners-up Dortmund have completed the signing of Saint-Etienne striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for an undisclosed fee.

The Gabon international, who struck 19 goals in Ligue 1 last season, was welcomed by sporting director Michael Zorc as the Champions League finalists look to bolster their attack following the departure of Mario Gotze to Bayern.“We are very pleased that in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang we were able to sign a player we really wanted,” Zorc told the club website.

“He is offensively very versatile, has a lot of pace in his game, is a threat in front of goal and will provide us with more options.”Aubameyang took to Twitter to express his gratitude to his former club.“Before everything I want to thank this great club of Saint-Etienne, a great family that I'll never forget," said the 24-year-old.

“Thanks and let’s go now BvB, a dream which goes on for me. Thanks lord.”The former Milan and Monaco man will join Dortmund after their training camp in Austria.

 

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Nicolas Anelka has West Brom medical ahead of proposed move to Hawthorns

Nicolas Anelka has undergone a medical at West Brom ahead of his proposed return to the Premier League.

Sky sources understand the French striker will sign for Albion following an unhappy year in Chinese football and a short spell in Italy.Anelka left Chelsea for Shanghai Shenhua in January 2012 but joined Juventus during this year's transfer window.

A move to The Hawthorns would reunite him with Steve Clarke, the Albion manager who was still a coach at Chelsea when the striker arrived at the start of 2008. Anelka, 34, has played for 10 clubs in his career and West Brom now look likely to be his sixth in England.

 

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Gonzalo Higuaín set to complete £23m move to Arsenal from Real Madrid

Gonzalo Higuaín is on the verge of signing for Arsenal for £23m. The Argentinian striker is hoping to fly to London on Thursday evening to complete the move after Real Madrid gave him permission to formally reach agreement with the London club.

Higuaín, who has been talking to Arsenal for some time, had also received an offer from Juventus. But the Italians' bid failed to convince Madrid and they instead signed Carlos Tevez.

Higuaín's father and agent, the former footballer Jorge Higuaín, told Fox Sports Latin America that a final resolution was close. "We managed to get permission from Real Madrid to negotiate face to face with Arsenal," he said. "Fortunately, I will soon be able to watch my son play in the Premier League."

Higuaín is expected to sign a deal on £100,000 a week, putting him among the club's top earners, and Arsenal remain keen to pair him up front with Wayne Rooney should Manchester United be willing to let him go.

The 25-year-old was on the verge of leaving Real Madrid last summer but was persuaded to stay by a combination of José Mourinho, team-mates and fans.

But, signed by the former president Ramón Calderón, he has long felt unsupported at institutional level, despite scoring 107 league goals in 190 games over the last six and a half seasons since arriving as a 19-year-old. Higuaín's competitor for the striker's position, Karim Benzema, was a personal signing of the president Florentino Pérez.

Last season Mourinho used both Higuaín and Karim Benzema in the central striking position but rarely seemed entirely convinced by either man and Higuaín tended to start the biggest games on the bench.

He scored 16 in 28 league games but just one in nine Champions League matches.

Higuaín publicly announced his departure, following the final game of the season against Osasuna. "It has been seven years at Real Madrid and I need a change," he said. "This is a decision that I have taken calmly, it is not a snap decision. No one has gifted me anything: I have always had to fight. I came here for €12m and they will sell me for a lot more. I want to go where they show they really want me."

He also said that day: "I know that Juventus want me." But it is Arsenal who will finally get him.

 

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Tevez & Llorente will make Juve great again, says Bonucci

 

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Tevez & Llorente will make Juve great again, says Bonucci

The Italy international is buoyed by the Bianconeri's transfer dealings so far this summer and claims they have already closed the gap on their European rivals Leonardo Bonucci believes the signings of Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente will turn Juventus into one of Europe's great teams again.


The Turin giants successfully defended their Serie A title in 2012-13, but they were unable to make an impact in the Champions League as Bayern Munich proved to be too strong in the quarter-finals.

However, Bonucci feels that Juve's transfer policy this summer is further proof that they are on their way back to the summit of European football.

"There might not have been much talk about them in the press, but Llorente and Tevez are both extraordinary signings in my opinion," Bonucci told Corriere dello Sport.

"Everybody knows Tevez and his qualities. Llorente made an excellent impression on me when I had to mark him once with the national team.

"I'd say that we are on our way to joining the great teams in Europe again. The gap with the elite has already become smaller."

Juventus are expected to make Torino defender Angelo Ogbonna their third marquee signing of the summer transfer window in the coming days.

Juventus CL ekata target karla me para transfers serma karanne//last time unge mid eka chora :/ Cambiasso wage gattanan

 

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Rooney would fit well with Barcelona, says Pique

The Spain international defender, who played alongside the England forward at Manchester United, believes his former team-mate could be a huge success at Camp Nou Barcelona defender Gerard Pique is convinced former Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney would be a great fit for the Catalan giants, were he to leave Old Trafford this summer.


Speculation surrounding the England international's future has been rife after retired United boss Sir Alex Ferguson revealed that Rooney had requested a transfer away from the club.

The former Everton forward has been linked with a host of suitors, and Pique – who spent four years with Rooney at Old Trafford – is adamant Barcelona would be the perfect destination.

“I know he has what's needed to be one of the three best players in the world. He'd fit well with Barcelona,” Pique told Sport.“He can adapt to many positions. He's best as the centre-forward, but we have seen him on the left or right side.

“He is very versatile, strong, fast and has great technique. I don't think he would have any problems adapting.”Rooney, who scored 12 league goals in 26 appearances last season, returned to Carrington for pre-season training on Wednesday ahead of talks with David Moyes to decide his United future.

defa defa..Neymar Xavi Rooney

 

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Carvajal revels in Real Madrid return

The defender is ecstatic after returning to the Santiago Bernabeu on the back of a fine season in the Bundesliga Dani Carvajal says he is the "happiest man in the world" after signing for Real Madrid just 12 months after leaving the Liga giants for Bayer Leverkusen.

The right-back left los Blancos last summer in search of regular first team football, but the club inserted a buy-back clause in his contract which enabled them to re-sign the Spain Under-21 international for a €6.5 million fee within the first three years of his contract with the Bundesliga club.

"Thank you to the president, the fans and the club," Carvajal told reporters at a press conference. "I fought for a dream that today becomes reality."Today I'm the happiest person in the world. I will give my all for this club."

Madrid president Florentino Perez also welcomed the defender's arrival and backed the 21-year-old to make his mark at the Santiago Bernabeu."Today, many 'Madridistas' are happy for you - you have returned home. Dani, welcome to Real Madrid," he said.

"You know the demands of this club. Now your opportunity has come, and I know you'll make the most of it. You, Dani, know the values of this club to perfection."Carvajal has signed a deal until 2019 and made 34 appearances in all competitions for Leverkusen last season.

 

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Cristiano Ronaldo: My future is with Real Madrid


The Portugal international has been linked with a move away from his current club more than once, but has insisted he is happy at the Santiago Bernabeu Cristiano Ronaldo is happy at Real Madrid and has no intention of leaving the club amid ongoing speculation that he could return to Manchester United.

The Portugal international stated earlier this week he still has warm feelings for the English champions and misses his time in England, but has now made it clear a
return to Old Trafford is not an option for him at this stage of his career.

"Manchester United are a club that has been in my heart since I was there, everyone knows that I have passion with that club. But my future now is with Real Madrid and I want to be there," Ronaldo told reporters.

"It is not the day to speak about my future. I am going to have time to do that before the pre-season. Basically it is now time to rest after 10 months of a long season."I enjoy playing there, I have been playing in Spain for four years so I want to continue there.

"For my national team, I hope that we can qualify for the World Cup - it will be a big goal for us - so we are focused on that and I am looking forward to being in the World Cup."Of course, I always look forward to getting better and better throughout the season and this year is going to be the same. I will try to be focused all the time, to win La Liga and to win the Champions League like we always do."

The 28-year-old has scored an incredible 201 goals in 199 appearances in all competitions for Madrid since joining the club in the summer of 2009. Ronaldo has a contract with los Blancos until 2015.

 

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Common David Moyes danwath Decision 1kak gamuRON gana balagena idala wadak naha
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Tottenham set to announce Paulinho following medical

The 24-year-old midfielder, who shone for Brazil at the Confederations Cup, is set to complete his move to White Hart Lane after undergoing medical tests in London Tottenham will officially announce the signing of Paulinho in the next 24 hours, with the Corinthians midfielder set to undergo a medical in London.


Goal revealed in June that the two clubs had agreed a €20 million deal, but confirmation was put on hold until after the Selecao's involvement in the Confederations Cup.Corinthians and Paulinho broke their silence in recent days, but Spurs have remained tight-lipped as they wait to conduct the relevant fitness checks.

But the north Londoners are now ready to unveil the 24-year-old, who was a key part of the Timao side that won last season's Copa Libertadores and Club World Cup.

He also played a starring role as Brazil triumphed in the Confederations Cup on home turf,beating Spain 3-0 in the final.

The transfer presents Paulinho with a second crack at European football, following short spells in Lithuania with Vilnius and Poland with Lodz.

 

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Real Madrid & Paris Saint-Germain rival Chelsea in race for De Rossi

The Italy international has held summit talks with Roma chiefs about his future at the Stadio Olimpico, with the club prepared to listen to offers above €17.5 million
Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are ready to rival Chelsea in the race to sign Daniele De Rossi.

The Roma midfielder met with the club’s sporting director Walter Sabatini earlier this week to discuss his future after returning from international duty at the Confederations Cup with Italy.

New coach Rudi Garcia wants to keep De Rossi, but he turns 30 later in July and will be allowed to leave the Giallorossi for around €17.5 million after a troubled 2012-13 season in which he lost his regular starting place in the heart of the midfield.

Chelsea opened preliminary talks with the Serie A club about signing De Rossi in June, while Madrid and PSG are understood to be also closely monitoring his situation.

Jose Mourinho is a long-standing admirer of De Rossi and tried to sign him in 2006 during his first spell at Stamford Bridge.

Competition from Madrid and PSG could drive up the price for a transfer which is also complicated by the major hurdle of the midfield anchorman's wage demands.

De Rossi, who was the subject of an offer from Manchester City last summer before committing himself to his boyhood club for another campaign, is believed to be one of the highest earners in Serie A, with a net salary of €6m-a-year, equivalent to around €222,000-a-week if taxes were included.

De Rossi joined Roma at 17 and has spent his entire professional career at the club, as well as becoming a key player for the Azzurri.

Despite having a contract that runs until 2017 and being a huge favourite of supporters at the Serie A club, De Rossi is understood to be interested in a new challenge and testing himself in the Premier League.

Chelsea have agreed a deal with Vitesse to sign 20-year-old midfielder Marco van Ginkel, as revealed by Goal in May, and have secured Frank Lampard on a one-year contract, but are still keen to reinforce a central midfield that was at times left threadbare during a relentless schedule of fixtures in the second half of last season.

David Luiz was used as an emergency midfielder on a number of occasions but Mourinho wants an experienced operator to provide competition for Lampard, Ramires and John Obi Mikel, who has been the subject of speculation about a move to Galatasaray.

 

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Ajax sign Van der Hoorn from Utrecht

The centre-back has earned himself a transfer to the Eredivisie champions with his fine performances in 2012-13 Ajax have secured the services of promising defender Mike van der Hoorn from Utrecht for an undisclosed fee, according to the club's official website.


The Netherlands Under-21 international will sign a four-year deal with the Eredivisie champions upon completion of his medical.

The Amsterdam giants were keen to add a new centre-back to their squad due to the expected departure of Toby Alderweireld this summer and they see Van der Hoorn as the ideal replacement for the Belgium international.

Van der Hoorn is a product of the Utrecht youth academy and had developed into an important first team member at the Domstedelingen since his debut in 2010-11.

The 20-year-old was part of the Netherlands squad that made it to the semi-finals of the European U-21 championship in Israel this summer.

 

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Jesus: I would like Coentrao to return to Benfica

The Eagles coach has suggested the Europa League finalists would happily re-sign the left-back if the opportunity arises Jorge Jesus has made it clear he would welcome Fabio Coentrao with open arms at Benfica if he were to leave Real Madrid this summer.


The 25-year-old's future at Madrid is in doubt after a disappointing 2012-13 campaign and a number of recent reports have suggested the Santiago Bernabeu side are ready to cash in on Coentrao if a good offer comes in.

"Fabio Coentrao is the one Portugal international I would like to see most at Benfica - not taking Cristiano Ronaldo into account," Jesus told A Bola.

"He has already played here before and everybody at the club loves him. He is the best Portuguese full-back out there and would make us even stronger."

Coentrao previously wore the Benfica jersey from 2007 until 2011 before leaving the club for Madrid. His contract with the Liga giants runs until the summer of 2017.

 

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Madrid must pay Illarramendi's exit clause, says Prieto

The promising midfielder is being linked with a move to los Blancos, but the Basque club's captain says they will have to be offered a lucrative deal to lure him away Real Sociedad skipper Xabi Prieto has insisted Real Madrid will have to meet Asier Illarramendi's minimum fee release clause if they want to sign the 23-year-old.


The Basque outfit will not let go of their prized asset unless the €30 million release clause in his contract is triggered.

Illarramendi was one of the stars of this summer's European Under-21 championship as Spain were crowned champions and new Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is supposedly a keen admirer of the holding midfielder.

"We don’t know what Asier's intentions will be, but if Madrid intend to pay his release clause it’ll be very difficult to keep him," Xabi Prieto told AS.

"At the moment, we don’t know anything, but the club have already made it clear that if Madrid want to buy Illarramendi, they’ll have to pay his release clause. And it seems that Real Madrid are willing to pay it.

"For the moment, he is a Real Sociedad player, though. We’re talking about a hypothetical situation. We’ll respect his decision. With or without him, the team will still be strong."

Illarramendi's contract with Real runs until the summer of 2018.

 

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Balotelli: I told Tevez to join Milan

The striker has revealed the Argentine ignored him to swap Manchester City for Juventus and said he would love the Rossoneri to re-sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli says he tried unsuccessfully to convince Carlos Tevez to join the club instead of Juventus this summer.


The Argentine, 29, followed in the footsteps of Robinho, Nigel de Jong and Balotelli in swapping Manchester City for Serie A football but, instead of joining the Rossoneri like the aforementioned trio, the forward signed for the Bianconeri in late June.

Balotelli says his former Blues team-mate would not listen to his pleas to join Massimiliano Allegri's squad and admitted he would love to see Milan bolster their attacking ranks with the return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Paris Saint-Germain.

"We are strong, but to compete at a European level we need reinforcements," he told Sportmediaset. "I would like us to sign Ibrahimovic.

"I'm not afraid of Juve: I respect all clubs but fear none. Tevez is a friend - I told him to come to Milan, however, he did not listen and went to Juve.

If I happen [to come against him], on the pitch, I'll take the ball around him!"

Balotelli also revealed his delight that Stephan El Shaarawy is set to stay at San Siro this summer and says he has no plans to leave the club he joined in January from the Etihad Stadium.

"I sent a message to Stephan to ask him how he had gone the meeting with Adriano Galliani," Balotelli added. "He told me that he would stay and I told him that he did well.

"I'm happy. As I'm concerned, it's nice to [see him] be declared non-transferable, but in football you never know.

"Milan are the team that I have in my heart, it is a good club with many fans. I'm fine here and I'll be staying here, then one day we'll see."

 

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Del Bosque: Isco is Spain's future

The world champions' coach praised the Real Madrid signing and defended Alvaro Arbeloa and Iker Casillas against criticism of their Confederations Cup performances Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has piled pressure of the shoulders of new Real Madrid signing Isco by saying the country has its footballing hopes pinned on the attacking midfielder.


The talented attacker joined for the Blancos for an estimated €35 million, with the Santiago Bernabeu side beating the likes of Manchester City to the signature of the ex-Malaga starlet.

Isco, 21, was left out of the Roja squad for the Confederations Cup in June but Del Bosque insists that the youngster features in his plans.

"We have a lot of hope pinned to Isco, he is the future of the national team," he told Radio Nacional de Espana on Thursday.

Another up-and-coming Spanish starlet, Real Sociedad midfielder Asier Illarramendi, has reportedly caught the eye of Real Madrid and the ex-Bernabeu boss was fulsome in his praise of the starlet.

"Illarramendi is the complete midfielder. He has the personality to play for any team in the world," Del Bosque added.

Spain's Confederations Cup ended on a sour note as they were thrashed 3-0 in the final by hosts Brazil. The likes of Alvaro Arbeloa and Iker Casillas came in for criticism for their role in the loss but Del Bosque defended his players.

"Alvaro played very well throughout the tournament," he said. "It's as if we are always looking for the weak link and we are all guilty of that. Casillas was magnificent.

"We played good football at times but the final wiped away everything we did up until then. We now have another year to try to make sure we have a good World Cup - if we qualify."

 

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'Ibrahimovic & Cavani would make a great duo'

The Swedish striker's agent, Mino Raiola, thinks that even if PSG splash €63 million on the Uruguayan striker his client will still be the club's top dog Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani would make a great striker partnership at Paris Saint-Germain, Mino Raiola, the Swede's agent, believes.


The PSG forward helped fire the club to the Ligue 1 title in 2012-13 but he could soon be joined up front at Parc des Princes by Napoli star Edinson Cavani, with reports in Italy suggesting that the French club have triggered his release clause.

Raoila has no doubt that the pair would succeed alongside each other but thinks that his client will remain top dog at PSG, regardless of whether the club splash out an estimated €63 million on the Uruguay international this summer.

"Of course, Ibra and Cavani would make a great duo," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "Although, Zlatan would remain the club's main man.

"Cavani to PSG, for me, is difficult to see being completed because of the [€63m] clause."

Cavani had previously been linked with moves to Real Madrid, Chelsea or Manchester City, although Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has claimed that none of these clubs are willing to meet the Italian outfit's valuation of the 26-year-old, whose current deal expires in 2017.

 

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Cassano blames Mazzarri for Inter exit

The striker completed his move from San Siro to Parma and sees the new coach as pivotal in his Nerazzurri departure, though the ex-Napoli boss disputed his claims New Parma striker Antonio Cassano has blamed new Inter coach Walter Mazzarri for his San Siro departure following the completion of his transfer on Wednesday.


The Italy international scored seven goals in 28 Serie A appearances last term, but struggled to nail down a regular starting berth under Andrea Stramaccioni in his first season at the Giuseppe Meazza.The 30-year-old claimed that Mazzarri forced him out of the Nerazzurri squad this summer as he was not in the new coach's first-team plans, while making it obvious that there was no love lost between himself and ex-Inter boss Stramaccioni.


"I thank [president Massimo] Moratti, [sporting director Marco] Branca and [director Piero] Ausilio, but not Mazzarri, because before he signed he told me that I was a fixed starter with the team and then after he arrived he said I was a starter, but one that should go home," Cassano told reporters on Thursday.
"He pushed me to go away. I went away because I could not return to Inter in his plans. Everyone must be aware that when you have Antonio, it is for better or worse. Throughout my career I have achieved 30-40 per cent of what I was capable of.


"With the [Inter] players I had a wonderful relationship, I leave behind many friends, they told me that they will miss me, and I even saw the president.
"Stramaccioni, on the other hand, I have nothing to say about."
Mazzarri, however, has disputed the forward's version of events and insists that he is yet to speak to the squad properly as pre-season has not begun at the Serie A side."I wanted to set the record straight following statements made by Antonio Cassano during his press conference at Parma this afternoon," read a statement on Inter's website.


"What I said to the club is exactly what I said when I held my press conference in Appiano Gentile. I haven’t spoken to or about the players since then because I was waiting for the start of the season.

"I don’t see how I can have decided who my first-choice players and squad players are before I’ve even had the chance to coach them.

"I’d like to put on record that the last time I spoke to Cassano was at the Inter-Napoli match in the first half of last season. On that occasion I just said hello to him on the pitch." Cassano, who has signed a three-year deal with Parma for an undisclosed fee, will wear the No.99 at the Tardini.