CHELSEA
Chelsea announced Friday that their former striker Didier Drogba has returned to the club on a one-year contract.
“He’s coming because he’s one of the best strikers in Europe,” manager Jose Mourinho said on the club website.
“I know his personality very well and I know if he comes back he’s not protected by history or what he’s done for this club previously. He is coming with the mentality to make more history.”
The Ivorian, 36, won 10 trophies at Chelsea from 2004-2012 and is available on a free transfer from Galatasaray.
Citing the influence of Mourinho, Drogba told the club website: “It was an easy decision. I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to work with Jose again. Everyone knows the special relationship I have with this club and it has always felt like home to me.”
Drogba joined Chelsea from Marseille for £24 million (Dh149.7m) in 2004 and scored 157 goals in 342 appearances for the London club, including the winning penalty in the 2012 Uefa Champions League final, against Bayern Munich.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Bebe’s nightmare spell at Manchester United has finally come to an end after he was sold to Benfica.
United paid Vitoria de Guimaraes £7.4million (Dh 46.1m) for the striker in 2010, but he only started three games - all in the cup competitions.
The 24-year-old Portuguese, who made seven appearances in total, never looked like making it into the United first team and he was shipped out on loan to Besiktas, Rio Ave and Pacos de Ferreira.
On Friday, Benfica confirmed they had bought the player, releasing a statement on their website which read: “Bebe has signed an agreement with SL Benfica for four years.”
Sir Alex Ferguson famously revealed he signed Bebe without seeing him play live.
CRYSTAL PALACE
Crystal Palace have announced the signing of striker Fraizer Campbell from Cardiff City.
Campbell has joined for an undisclosed fee, putting pen-to-paper on a three-year deal with the London club.
The 26-year-old player, who came through the youth ranks at Manchester United at the start of his career, won the solitary senior England cap he has to his name in 2012.
GREECE
Claudio Ranieri has been appointed as the new coach of Greece, the Greek Football Federation has announced.
The 62-year-old Italian takes over from Fernando Santos whose contract expired following the World Cup where he guided Greece to the last 16.
Ranieri has been handed a two-year deal and his main focus will now be steering Greece to Euro 2016.
“Claudio Ranieri signed a two-year contract with the Greek Football Federation and is the new coach of the national team,” read a statement on the federation’s website.
“The Italian coach, with service at many major European clubs, is expected to lead our group to new successes with Euro 2016 on the horizon.”
LIVERPOOL
Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina wants to end his career in his native Spain as the uncertainty over his future persists.
Reina is training with the Reds squad in America after finishing his loan deal at Napoli.
The Rafael Benitez-managed Serie A club are interested in a permanent deal, but are refusing to meet the £3.95million release clause in his contract.
Reina’s preferred destination would be Spain, but the former Barcelona stopper accepts he will have to wait for an opportunity in the Primera Division to arise.
“I have a contract to respect with Liverpool. I’m training well and I am perfectly fine with my team-mates,” the 31-year-old Reina told Cadena Ser.
“I am here to stay. I have not talked to Brendan Rodgers, I’ve been here for only four days and I am just thinking of training to my best and getting back into shape.
“At the moment all the big Spanish teams are covered in my role, so I see it as very difficult to return to Spain.
“It’s normal though that over the years you want to return to where you came from, so we’ll see.
WEST HAM UNITED
The West Ham board appear to be at odds with manager Sam Allardyce over the future of Ravel Morrison.
The former Manchester United youngster looked to have a bright future at Upton Park after breaking into the first team at the start of last season.
Morrison quickly became a fan favourite with his skilful, attacking displays in a West Ham side often accused of being negative in their approach.
But, after a slump in form and a number of niggling injuries, the 21-year-old fell out of favour and ended the season on loan at QPR - helping Harry Redknapp’s side achieve promotion through the Sky Bet Championship play-offs.
With reported interest from the likes of Swansea and CSKA Moscow, Allardyce would likely listen to offers for the England Under-21 international but Hammers co-owner David Sullivan says the board are keen to keep Morrison at the club.
“Sam has said Ravel is not part of his plans but we do - as a board - see him as part of our plans,” Sullivan told talkSPORT.
“I think he [Allardyce] said in a press conference, if I read it correctly, he’s not part of his plans for this season. I think he said that in New Zealand but we don’t agree with that. We would like to sit down and give him a longer contract.”
Sullivan is targeting at least one new forward after the club announced that Andy Carroll will be sidelined for four months.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Manchester United target Arturo Vidal has seemingly ruled out a move to Old Trafford.
The sought-after Juventus and Chile midfielder has been closely linked with a big-money switch to United this summer but, according to reports in Italy, he has indicated his future is not with Louis van Gaal’s side.
Speaking on his return to Turin following a post-World Cup holiday, Gazzetta dello Sport reported Vidal as saying: “Can I say that I stay at Juve? I do not know. I will talk with [new Juve coach Massimiliano] Allegri then we’ll see. I’m happy here.
“I have not yet spoken with Allegri and even with my friends, I do not go to Manchester.”