Transfer news: Hildebrand hopes for a fresh start

Timo Hildebrand hopes his move to Hoffenheim will help his international career, Torino say no to a loan deal with Arsenal and Solano heads home to Peru.

Timo Hildebrand hopes his move back to Germany will put him back in the national coach Joachim Low's plans.

The Hoffenheim goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand feels his return to the Bundesliga could be an ideal stepping stone back to the Germany national team. The 29-year-old has joined the league leaders on a free transfer from Valencia, where he had dropped down to third choice this season and lost his place in the national side as a result. Now he feels his return to the public eye will propel him back into the reckoning for a place in Joachim Low's team. "I was not so present in Spain as I used to be in the Bundesliga," he told Kicker magazine. "Now I am back here and I can prove myself each week and then we will discover if I can be the Germany goalkeeper again." However, after being bitterly disappointed at being dropped from the Germany squad for Euro 2008, Hildebrand will not be making any definite plans for the 2010 World Cup. "The World Cup is only in the back of my mind at the moment," he admitted. "My aim is to be successful with Hoffenheim. Everything else will sort itself out."

The Torino president Urbano Cairo is adamant he will not loan star player Alessandro Rosina to Arsenal in the January transfer window. Torino have reacted quickly to reports that the Italian playmaker Rosina could leave for the Emirates stadium. The Granata player has had a difficult start to the campaign. Cairo has, however, insisted that Rosina is part of his club's future plans. "Ale [Rosina] will not go on loan to Arsenal in order to rediscover his form, because he doesn't need that," he said. "He will remain with us and will give us a helping hand to reach our aims." Rosina, 24, has made just seven starts for Torino this season.

The Lyon coach Claude Puel insists the club's priority during the winter transfer window is to keep their star striker Karim Benzema. Benzema continues to be linked with a move away from Lyon, despite putting pen to paper on a new big-money contract in March, which ties him to Les Gones until 2013. The France international is one of the hottest properties on the global stage after netting over 40 goals for club and country over the past two seasons, and last month admitted he hoped to play for Real Madrid one day. However, Puel claims the 20-year-old is going nowhere for the time being. "We have to keep Karim Benzema," he told Le Parisien. "It's essential and a priority for the future of the club. "He needs another year to have the necessary skills to prosper elsewhere."

Nolberto Solano is returning home to Peru to finish his playing career with Universitario. The former Aston Villa, Newcastle and West Ham winger is leaving the Greek club Larissa to link up with new Universitario boss Juan Reynoso. "My signing happens thanks to the friendship I have with Juan Reynoso and the seriousness of Universitario officials," Solano, 34, told El Bocon newspaper. "I like ambitious, serious projects and Universitario are heading that way. I am also excited about playing in the Copa Libertadores this year and because I know Juan (Reynoso) very well and I know he will be good for the club." Solano, who spent three seasons with Universiario's arch-rivals Sporting Cristal from 1994 to 1997, has signed a two-year contract that he expects will take him to the end of his playing career. "My idea is to play two years for Universitario, win the local league and do a good job in the Copa Libertadores," he said. "Then, I will probably retire by playing at the Estadio Monumental (Universitario's home stadium). "Then I will study to be a coach, probably in Argentina." *With Agencies