England
As tipped by Press Association's Carl Markham this morning, Liverpool teenager Sheyi Ojo has joined Wigan Athletic on loan.
It’s all kicked off in the north-east, though, as Damian Spellman explains.
Newcastle United’s Davide Santon “was closing in on a move to Inter Milan and was undergoing a medical, while confirming his move on Facebook.
“However, the club said no deal had been agreed and then Santon deleted the post.
“Then the clubs agreed terms, before Santon’s partner, Chloe Sanderson, said on Twitter she was ‘disgusted’ at how Santon had been treated and had been ‘pushed out’.”
Those tweets have been deleted and the move remains incomplete.
All the juicy stuff continues to happen in the Championship, as well, with Reading look set to sign former Everton striker Yakubu.
Pictures are circulating on social media of the 32-year-old striker holding up a blue and white hooped shirt.
The Nigeria striker tells the world, via Reading’s Vine account which shows him penning a deal, that he’s back in English football.
“The Yak arrives in Reading, I’m ready to go, I’m ready to give everything, come on the Yak.”
Press Association’s Simon Peach also brings a nugget out of Southampton.
"Feyenoord's Tonny Vilhena will not be joining #SaintsFC today. I am told the move never really got going," he wrote on Twitter.
RELATED
– The National’s Transfer Talk page
Italy
Juventus are allowing Sebastian Giovinco to join MLS side Toronto FC early Monday as they re-sign Alessandro Matri on loan.
Giovinco was due to link up with his new Canadian club in July, once his Italian contract expires, but Juventus confirm the 5ft 4in forward, known as the Atomic Ant, is ending his time in Turin on the final day of the transfer window.
Matri spent two and a half seasons with Juventus, winning two Serie A titles, before he was bought in 2013 by AC Milan, whose manager at the time was current Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri.
The 30-year-old Matri is still owned by Milan, but was on loan at Genoa and Juventus have come to an agreement with the club to sign him until the end of June.
Germany
Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Granit Xhaka has extended his contract by three years to 2019, the Bundesliga club said on Monday.
The talented 22-year-old Swiss international, who joined in 2012 from FC Basel and quickly earned a starting spot, had initially singed a deal to 2016.
“In these two and a half years Granit has made great strides and became one of the most important players of our team,” Gladbach sports director Max Eberl said on the club website.
“We are happy to have tied him to us for a longer time.”
Gladbach are third in the Bundesliga, seven points behind second-placed Wolfsburg.
Troubled Hamburg meanwhile have signed Chilean defensive midfielder Marcelo Diaz from Basel to bolster their backline as they battle to avoid relegation from the Bundesliga.
Chile international Diaz signed a contract to 2017 after passing a medical in Hamburg on Monday, the club said.
“We saw Marcelo’s qualities at the World Cup last summer,” Hamburg sporting director Peter Knabel said. “He is someone who wants the ball, wants the game focused on him even in difficult situations.
“He can be a bridge for our game when we go forward. That is what I expect from him and that is what he has already done at top level.”
Hamburg, who have seen billionaire Klaus-Michael Kuhne pump more than EU€18 million (Dh74.8m) into the debt-laden club, have also boosted their frontline by bringing in experienced Croatian striker Ivica Olic from Wolfsburg.
Hamburg are in the relegation play-off spot in 16th place on 17 points.
France
Lille have called back the Mali striker Abdoulay Diaby from a loan with Belgians Mouscron and offered the 23-year-old a deal that runs to June 2019, the French club said on Monday.
Diaby has been on a hot run of form scoring 12 goals in 20 games for Mouscron in the Belgian top flight this season, and was top of the scorers rankings before joining Mali’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Equatorial Guinea.
Lille by contrast are the lowest scoring team in France’s top flight on 18 goals scored from 23 league games, as regular striker and Belgian World Cup star Divock Origi has bagged just three goals so far this season.
Lille, who own a majority shareholding in Mouscron, made the Champions League qualifying round after finishing third in France last season, but have slumped to a current lowly 13th.
It was also announced by Lille that another striker on their books, the 25-year-old Ronny Rodelin, who has failed to score in 15 league games this season, would be joining Mouscron on loan.
Europe
CSKA Moscow have signed the teenaged striker Carlos Strandberg from Swedish club BK Hacken on a five-year deal, the Russian champions said on Monday.
Still just 18-years-old and of Mozambican heritage he played at the Under 17 World Cup and scored nine goals in 29 matches for Hacken in the Swedish top-flight last season.
“Strandberg is a big, strong forward,” said CSKA manager Leonid Slutsky.
“He’s got great team spirit, it’s very important for our club,” he added.
“He’s played a full season in the Swedish league, it’s very useful experience for a young player and it’s also an important factor for us.”
No financial details of the deal were revealed by either club.
Follow us at our new home on Twitter @NatSportUAE
