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DAVID VILLA SIGNS TO BARCELONA FROM VALENCIA
Barcelona have completed the transfer of prolific hitman David Villa from fellow La Liga outfit Valencia for a reputed fee of €40 million (approximately £34m). The striker has reportedly signed a four-year deal at his new club.
CHELSEA SIGNS RAMIRES FROM BENFICA
Brazilian international Ramires has left Portuguese champions SL Benfica for English counterparts Chelsea FC on a four-year deal. “He is a fantastic midfielder,” said manager Carlo Ancelotti. Brazil midfielder Ramires has joined Chelsea FC in a reported €22m transfer from fellow UEFA Champions League contenders SL Benfica.
JOSE MOURINHO SIGNS AS MANAGER OF REAL MADRID FROM INTER MILAN
Jose Mourinho signs a four-year contract with Real Madrid FC, which will see him at the club until 2014. That’s if another great challenge doesn’t come along.
Mourinho, who won the UEFA Champions League with FC Porto and Inter Milan, will look to follow his success and win the European trophy with a third team.
SAMI KHEDIRA SIGNS TO REAL MADRID FROM STUTTGART
Real Madrid CF can count on the services of midfielder Sami Khedira after the German international moved to the Spanish capital from VfB Stuttgart for an undisclosed fee thought to be about €12m.
The 23-year-old anchorman has accepted a five-year contract at the Santiago Bernabéu to become Madrid’s third summer signing – Ángel di María and Pedro León already having joined new coach José Mourinho at the club.
BALOTELLI & DAVID SILVA SIGN TO MANCHESTER CITY
Manchester City’s position as the most powerful spenders in English football was reaffirmed today when they flexed their financial muscle to sign David Silva, the Spain midfielder, for a fee in the region of £25m-30m.
Backed by the enormous wealth of the Abu Dhabi United Group, City have already signed the Germany international Jérôme Boateng from Hamburg for £10.5m and will renew their interest in James Milner of Aston Villa now he has returned from the World Cup.
Their plans do not stop there, with Roberto Mancini keen to bring in at least two more defenders and another striker. Edin Dzeko, the prolific Wolfsburg forward, remains a target and Mancini said signing a player of Silva’s calibre will help attract new players regardless of the club’s inability to offer Champions League football.
Mario Balotelli has left FC Internazionale Milano for big-spending Manchester City FC for a reported fee of €28m, reuniting the forward with his former coach at the Nerazzurri, Roberto Mancini.
DIEGO GODIN SIGNS TO ATHLETICO MADRID FROM VILLAREAL
Club Atlético de Madrid continue to strengthen ahead of their UEFA Europa League title defence with Villarreal CF centre-back Diego Godín the latest to agree terms at the Vicente Calderón.
The Uruguayan international, 24, has signed a five-year contract and arrives on undisclosed terms, although the fee is thought to be significant for a player who made five appearances as his country reached the FIFA World Cup semi-finals.
BRUNO ALVES SIGNS TO FC ST. PETERSBURG FROM FC PORTO
FC Zenit St. Petersburg have continued their summer spending by signing Portuguese international defender Bruno Alves from FC Porto for €22m.
The centre-back, 28, joins the Russian Premier-Liga leaders on a four-year contract and becomes Zenit’s third significant purchase in recent weeks following the arrival of striker Aleksandr Bukharov from FC Rubin Kazan and defender Aleksandar Luković from Udinese Calcio.
RAUL GONZALEZ SIGNS WITH SCHALKE FROM REAL MADRID
Having announced his decision to leave Real Madrid CF on Monday, Raúl González has joined FC Schalke 04, with coach Felix Magath delighted to bring in “a truly world-class footballer”.
The 33-year-old former Spanish international has signed a two-year contract with the German side who return to the UEFA Champions League group stage this season after finishing second in the Bundesliga last term.
“Schalke is a new challenge
,” Raúl said. ”The Bundesliga is one of the strongest leagues in Europe. Our aim has to be to fight for the Bundesliga title. It will be difficult in the Champions League but we want to progress from the group stage. It will be an eventful season for Schalke.”
As a three-time winner of the competition with Real Madrid, Raúl brings a wealth of experience to Schalke and coach Felix Magath is delighted to have him on board. “This is fantastic news for FC Schalke 04,” Magath said. “I’m delighted we’ve been able to bring a truly world-class footballer and goalscorer to the Bundesliga and to Schalke
.”
Raúl bid farewell to Madrid in an emotional news conference on Monday. In 18 years at the Santiago Bernabéu he scored 323 goals in 741 senior appearances – both club records – and helped the Merengues win the Liga six times. He was used largely as a substitute last season, however, and conceded on Monday that “the time had come” to leave.
CHRISTIAN POULSON SIGNS TO LIVERPOOL FROM JUVENTUS
Liverpool will pay the Turin side £4.5 million for the 30-year-old, with the payment to come in two instalments of £2.25m each.
The Dane, who has 77 international caps for his country, was given his big break in football by Reds boss Roy Hodgson back when he was coach of FC Copenhagen.
Poulsen’s capture clears the way for unsettled defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano to leave Anfield.
The Argentina captain has spoken openly about his desire to quit English football in recent days, and asked Hodgson for a transfer on the day he returned to pre-season training after an extended break following the World Cup.
JOE COLE SIGNS TO LIVERPOOL FROM CHELSEA
Joe Cole has promised Liverpool supporters that they will see the best years of his career at the club, as he looks to write his name in the Anfield history books.
The 28-year-old is determined to add some silverware to the Reds’ trophy cabinet, as the club begns a new era under the management of Roy Hodgson.
“There was a lot of difference and difficulties last season but we are starting afresh and we will be doing everything we can,” Cole told his club’s official website.
“We need to build and take our time. When you play for Chelsea, winning the league is expected every year. When you come here the whole place is willing it to happen. You can feel that energy and I just want to do my best for the club.
ADRIANO SIGNS TO BARCELONA FROM SEVILLA
Spanish Liga titleholders FC Barcelona have reached an agreement with Sevilla FC for the signature of Brazilian international full-back Adriano for a fee that could rise to €13.5m.
Sevilla FC full-back Adriano is set to move to FC Barcelona after the two clubs agreed a fee that could rise to €13.5m for the 25-year-old.
Adriano will make the move to the Liga champions subject to passing a medical at the Camp Nou, making him Barça’s second signing of the summer after the arrival of striker David Villa. A former FIFA U-20 World Cup winner, Adriano scored 11 times in 157 league appearances for Sevilla following his transfer from Coritiba FC in 2004/05.
CAVANI SIGNS TO NAPOLI FROM PALERMO
Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani has joined SSC Napoli from fellow UEFA Europa League play-off entrants US Città di Palermo for a reported fee that is expected to reach €17m.
SSC Napoli have signed Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani from US Città di Palermo for a reported fee that is expected to reach €17m.
The 23-year-old has signed a contract running until 2015. “Cavani is a great player,” said Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentis. “We’ve been following him for a month and, although several other clubs tried to sign him, we’ve moved faster. We’re proud to give another big players to our fans.” Cavani began his career with Danubio FC before joining Palermo in January 2007 and immediately establishing himself as a regular, scoring 35 goals in 114 appearances, including 15 in each of the last two seasons.
CARVALHO SIGNS TO REAL MADRID FROM CHELSEA
Ricardo Carvalho will be reunited with José Mourinho after Real Madrid CF agreed to buy the Portugal defender from Chelsea FC for a reported €8m subject to a medical.
Carvalho, 32, will sign a two-year contract with Madrid, ending a six-season spell with Chelsea which began when he followed Mourinho to London from FC Porto following their UEFA Champions League triumph. His career began at Porto but Carvalho only made his breakthrough after loan spells at Leça FC, Vitória FC and FC Alverca. He blossomed under Mourinho’s tutelage, winning three Liga titles plus the UEFA Cup and UEFA Champions League in 2002/03 and 2003/04
RAFA BENITEZ SIGNS TO INTER MILAN FROM LIVERPOOL
Rafa Benitez was named Inter Milan coach on Thursday, charged with the tough task of matching last season’s stunning treble success under Jose Mourinho.
Spaniard Benitez, who last week ended his six-year spell at Liverpool, has penned a two-year deal with the European, Serie A and Italian Cup champions.
“Inter welcome Rafael Benitez,” the club said in a statement, adding the coach would hold a news conference on Tuesday.
Mourinho quit for Real Madrid in the wake of Inter’s Champions League triumph last month, having become disillusioned with Italian football.
Inter acted quickly to tie up Benitez, who won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005 and reached the final in 2007.
Club president Massimo Moratti first targeted England boss Fabio Capello but when the Italian decided to stay until Euro 2012, attention turned to Benitez as he left Liverpool.
The 50-year-old Spaniard knows plenty about Serie A having visited for European games with Liverpool and faced Inter’s city rivals AC Milan in both his Champions League finals.
He already speaks decent Italian, which went down well with the country”s demanding reporters, and his love of tactics will endear him to the many Serie A watchers who view football as more of a chess game.
Transfer market
Doubters have pointed to his shaky record in the transfer market in the last two seasons, with some of Liverpool’s buys not being seen as sufficient class for the Anfield faithful.
However Italian clubs generally purchase their players rather than the coach, leaving Benitez to work on his formations and man-management skills, which some former players have criticised.
Repeating an unprecedented Italian treble will be incredibly difficult, if not impossible given Inter’s ageing squad will be a little older and will have lost their guiding light in Mourinho.
Benitez is a more introverted character than the Portuguese and will have to fight to impose his authority amid constant speculation Inter players such as Maicon want to join Mourinho at Real.
Another factor counting against Benitez will be the re-emergence of AS Roma who would have beaten Inter to last season’s Serie A title had they not had a mediocre start.
Juventus, long linked with Benitez before appointing former Sampdoria boss Luigi Del Neri as coach, are rebuilding after a dreadful season similar to Liverpool”s and look likely to be more of a force next term.
AC Milan are also close to naming a new coach with former Cagliari boss Massimiliano Allegri sorting out a severance deal with his ex-club before being presented.
THIERRY HENRY & RAFAEL MARQUEZ SIGN TO NEW YORK RED BULLS BOTH FROM FC BARCELONA
Thierry Henry is to play his club football outside Europe for the first time after quitting FC Barcelona for New York Red Bulls.
The Major League Soccer side say the 32-year-old has signed “a multi-year contract” and expect the France striker’s debut to be against Tottenham Hotspur FC in an exhibition match on 22 July. Henry, part of France’s squad at the FIFA World Cup, officially left Barcelona at the end of last month having joined from Arsenal FC in 2007.
Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports that F.C. Barcelona has allowed Rafael Marquez to leave the club on a free transfer to the New York Red Bulls and has signed a three year deal with an option for a fourth that is around three million dollars.
This is the third Designated Player that the Red Bulls wanted to bring to help get the defense better and of course had to pay up to the league to make this happen. Who will be released from the club to make room for Marquez is a different story, but for right now the club has made this deal to make that big push to solidify their playoff spot and attempt a strong playoff run into the MLS Cup Playoffs.
JAVIER “CHICHARITO” HERNANDEZ SIGNS TO MANCHESTER UNITED FROM FC GUADALAJARA
Manchester United have not had much luck with Latin American players down the years, but Sir Alex Ferguson will hope that the influence of Javier Hernández will succeed where Juan Sebastián Verón and others failed when the Mexico striker moves to Old Trafford in the summer.
Hernández, 21, will be formally announced as a United player on July 1 provided that an application for a work permit is successful.
It is thought that United will initially pay Chivas, the Mexican club, between £6 million and £8 million, although the fee could increase substantially depending on the player’s success.
As part of the deal, United will play in a match to mark the opening of the new 45,000-seat Chivas Stadium in Guadalajara in the summer.
Nicknamed “Chicharito”, or Little Sweet Pea, Hernández comes from a rich line of footballers. His father, Javier Sr, who was known as “Sweet Pea”, played in the 1986 World Cup finals for Mexico and his grandfather, Tomás Balcázar, represented the country in the 1954 tournament.
