Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen is close to a £15million move to Barcelona, Press Association Sport understands.
The Belgium defender could complete a move to the Nou Camp over the weekend.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger on Thursday suggested the club’s preference was to sell the defender abroad, rather than to a domestic rival, with Manchester United rumoured to also be interested.
Read more: Arsenal are less vulnerable now, says Arsene Wenger
Club captain Vermaelen, who joined from Ajax in 2009, made 21 appearances for the Gunners last season.
Niggling injuries and the form of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker limited his impact.
However, despite being an unused substitute at Wembley, he did lift the FA Cup in May as Arsenal ended their nine-year trophy drought.
The 28-year-old has made 150 appearances in all competitions, scoring 15 goals for the Gunners.
Speaking on Thursday ahead of Sunday’s Community Shield with Manchester City, Wenger revealed interest from United and others.
Wenger said: “Have we received bids? Yes. I can’t tell you who from but you will know very soon.
“Are Man United one of the teams to have made an offer? I think they could be in the group.
“Ideally, yes, we would like to sell him abroad and that is an option for us.
“I don’t want to say how many offers we have but we have offers from abroad as well.”
United are understood to still be interested, although a swap deal would not interest them, with rumours Arsenal enquired about defender Chris Smalling and striker Javier Hernandez.
Now it seems the Nou Camp, and not Old Trafford, is Vermaelen’s likely destination.
Wenger believes it is important for Vermaelen to play.
“He could leave, it could happen, I’ve said that since the start of pre-season,” the Frenchman added.
“He needs to play now. He has shown an outstanding attitude but he is in a position where we wouldn’t stand in his way if he finds an interesting opportunity.”
Southampton
Southampton defender Jose Fonte has signed a new deal with the Premier League club, manager Ronald Koeman has announced.
Portuguese defender Fonte, 30, has pledged his future to the St Mary’s outfit and will remain at the south coast club until at least 2017.
“We are very happy because we like to keep the good players and the experienced players,” Koeman said.
“Jose is the captain for this season on the field. We have another captain of the club - Kelvin Davis - but Jose is the captain on the pitch.
“I am very pleased about his new contract, which shows our ambition and the philosophy of the club and I am happy about that.”
Manchester City
Manchester City have completed the signing of Argentina Under-20 international Bruno Zuculini, the Premier League champions have announced.
The 21-year-old midfielder, who joins from Argentine side Racing Club, was part of City’s pre-season tours of Scotland and the United States and scored in the friendly against Kansas City.
Zuculini, who is available for Sunday’s Community Shield against Arsenal, said on mcfc.co.uk: “I’m very excited about the future. I am looking forward to the experiences which this move will bring and to improving myself as a player.”
Chelsea
Didier Drogba has announced his retirement from international football with the Ivory Coast.
The 36-year-old Ivorian, who last month re-joined Chelsea following a two-season absence with spells in China and Turkey, made his 104th and final appearance for The Elephants during the World Cup in Brazil.
“It is with much sadness that I have decided to retire from international football,” Drogba said.
“I am very proud to have been captain of this team for eight years and to have contributed to placing my country on the world stage of football, taking part in three World Cups and two African Cup of Nations finals.
“I cannot convey enough thanks to the fans for all the love and support during these years. All my goals, all my caps, all our victories are for you.
“I also owe much gratitude to my team-mates - the players with whom I have shared all these emotions and I wish you all much success for the future and a very warm welcome to the new manager [Herve Renard].”
Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich is set to sign Spain goalkeeper Pepe Reina on a three-year deal.
Bayern said Reina will sign a contract with the Bundesliga champions on Friday – joining as a backup to first-choice keeper Manuel Neuer, who is also Germany’s No. 1. He passed a medical on Thursday evening.
The 31-year-old Reina spent last season on loan from Liverpool to Napoli. Reina, who joined Liverpool from Villarreal in 2005, had fallen out of favor with manager Brendan Rodgers and lost his place to Simon Mignolet.
Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said Bayern coach Pep Guardiola wanted a keeper who can play similarly to Neuer.
Spartak Moscow
Netherlands international Quincy Promes has moved from Twente Enschede to Spartak Moscow after a signing a four-year contract, the Dutch club said on Friday.
The 22-year-old forward, who made the 30-man shortlist for the World Cup but was cut from the final 23-man Netherlands squad for Brazil, cost 15 million euros ($20.1 million), Dutch media reported.
Amsterdam-born Promes extended his contract at Twente to 2017 after scoring 11 goals in the season and winning his first cap for the Netherlands.
“For me as a young footballer it is a step in my development. I get a chance to develop further in a strong league competition,” he said on the Russian club’s website (www.spartak.com).
Twente used some of the money to sign 23-year-old South African international midfielder Kamohelo Mokotjo from PEC Zwolle.
Argentina
Former Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino was in talks to take over the Argentina national team hotseat, the new president of the country’s football federation, Luis Segura said Thursday.
Martino, 51, who was in charge at Barcelona last season, won the Argentine league title with Newell’s Old Boys in 2013 and is seen as the favourite to succeed Alejandro Sabella who stood down after the World Cup.
“We haven’t decided anything. When we have a coach, be it Martino or another, we will announce it,” said Segura, who has just taken over from Julio Grondona who died last week.
Santos
Brazilian star Robinho left AC Milan for Santos on loan Thursday, rejoining the club where he started his career in 2002.
“It’s my home, it’s a place where I feel good and where I was born to football,” said the 30-year-old.
Robinho has been at AC Milan since 2010 having also featured for Real Madrid and Manchester City.
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