Everton
Everton manager Roberto Martinez has hinted that striker Samuel Eto'o could be on the verge of leaving Goodison Park.
Martinez confirmed that the former Barcelona forward, who missed the Premier League club's penalty shootout defeat at West Ham United in the FA Cup on Tuesday, has been the subject of interest from two unnamed clubs.
Eto’o only signed a two-year contract with Everton in August and has found the back of the net four times for the club since then but has often found himself playing in a No 10 role and even out wide.
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“With Samuel, we have a really good relationship and we are looking at his situation,” Martinez said in the wake of Everton’s 9-8 shootout defeat at Upton Park where the match ended 2-2 after extra-time.
“We had a couple of clubs contact us in the last 12 hours so I decided it was better now to leave him out of the squad and allow us a different focus in the group.
“We will decide (in the) next few days the next step. He’s been fantastic for us, we’ve got a really good relationship and we will see what’s (the) next best step for both (parties).”
If the former Cameroon international does leave Merseyside for pastures new his double at Burnley in October will undoubtedly be the highlight of his time with Everton.
The 33-year-old’s glancing header opened the scoring and then he capped off a fine display with a superb strike from 25 yards as Martinez’s men won 3-1 at Turf Moor.
When asked if Eto’o has played his last game for the Everton, Martinez added: “No, I wouldn’t say that.”
Aston Villa
Spanish attacking midfielder Carles Gil has joined Aston Villa from Valencia on a four-and-a-half-year contract, the Premier League club announced on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old, who is a Spain Under 21 international, can play on either flank or behind a striker and has been signed to bolster a Villa attack that has mustered only 11 goals in 21 league games this season.
Villa did not release details of the transfer fee, but British media reports said the club had paid around £3.25 million (Dh18.1m) to secure Gil’s services.
“We’ve been on the lookout for a creative player and he will certainly bring that extra element to the side,” said Villa manager Paul Lambert on the club’s official website.
“He’s only 22 years of age, but he will come here and give us something I don’t think we have at the moment. He can play either role, coming in off the sides or playing in behind as well.
“He can create chances and get those chances put away. He has a lot to offer and I know we can get the best out of him.”
Gil came through the youth system at Valencia and spent the last two seasons on loan at Elche, where he played alongside Villa’s Colombian midfielder Carlos Sanchez.
“Once I knew that this club was interested in me, I wanted to join,” said the Spaniard, who could make his debut at home to Liverpool on Saturday.
“I am really looking forward to playing here and showing the fans what I can do.”
Juventus
Swiss international Stephan Lichtsteiner has signed a contract extension that will keep him at Juventus until at least 2017, the Italian champions announced Tuesday.
Lichtsteiner’s current deal was set to expire in June, but the 30-year-old – who can play as a wingback or a right-sided defender – has signed a two-year extension with the option for a further year.
A club statement said: "During his three-and-a-half seasons in Turin, Lichtsteiner has been an integral part of a side who have won three Serie A titles and two Super Cups.
“Everyone at Juventus Football Club is looking forward to enjoying more of Stephan’s contributions in the famous black and white jersey for the years to come.”
Juventus, who have won the past three Italian titles, sit top of Serie A, one game before the halfway stage of the season with a three-point lead on title challengers AS Roma.
Western Sydney Wanderers
Asian club champions Western Sydney Wanderers have signed Japanese international Yojiro Takahagi for their Asian Champions League campaign, the club said on Wednesday.
Takahagi, who has over 250 appearances for J-League side Sanfrecce Hiroshima including winning back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013, will strengthen the Wanderers’ attack.
Takahagi, 28, orchestrated a 2-0 win against the Wanderers in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 match last year.
“We are very pleased to have been able to do this piece of business in the transfer window,” Wanderers chief executive John Tsatsimas said.
“Takahagi is a very experienced and talented attacking player who has the versatility to play in a number of positions in the front third.”
Takahagi has been signed on a short-term Champions League contract for the Wanderers group stage and potential round of 16 matches and joins another Japanese player, defender Yusuke Tanaka, at the club.
Western Sydney need the boost having gotten off to a miserable start domestically, sitting bottom of the A-League table with no wins from 12 matches. They have just four points from that run.
New York City FC
US national team midfielder Mix Diskerud has agreed to a contract to play for New York City FC, the first major move for the MLS expansion team since their parent company decided to keep Frank Lampard at Manchester City for the rest of the Premier League season.
The 24-year-old Diskerud has five goals in 25 international appearances and was part of the US Under 23 team that failed to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics. He was a member of last year’s World Cup team but didn’t appear in any games in Brazil.
The son of an American mother and Norwegian father, Diskerud played for Stabaek in Norway from 2008-11, spent the first half of 2012 on loan to Belgium’s Ghent and had played for Norway’s Rosenborg since August 2012. His contract expired at the end of the 2014 season.
NYCFC had been first in MLS’s allocation ranking, which gave them priority to sign a US national team player coming to the league after playing abroad.
NYCFC, who announced the deal Tuesday, has been criticised by fans and media over the handling of Lampard. NYCFC announced last July that they had signed the English midfielder for their inaugural season in 2015.
Lampard then started playing for Manchester City, who like NYCFC are controlled by City Football Group, and on December 31 Manchester City said Lampard’s contract had been extended through the end of the season. NYCFC said last weekend that Lampard had signed a contract to join them in July 2015.
The team also said Tuesday they will play pre-season exhibitions at Scotland’s St Mirren on February 10 and at Denmark’s Brondy five days later.
FC Krasnodar
Former Russia captain Roman Shirokov has joined FC Krasnodar on loan from fellow Russian Premier League side Spartak Moscow until the end of the 2014/15 season.
Shirokov has already played for Krasnodar after joining the team from the south of Russia on loan while he was under contract with Zenit St Petersburg. The 33-year-old joined Spartak in the summer.
Shirokov’s time at Spartak has not been helped by injuries, while he has also fallen out of favour with head coach Murat Yakin. The midfielder has been limited to playing five games this season and scored one goal.
“I understand that each coach wants to build a team his way and will pick the footballers he wants to go out onto the pitch,” Shirokov told Spartak’s website.
“I respect this, but on the other hand I wanted to get more first team action.”
Shirokov, voted Russian player of the year in 2012 and 2013, has won 43 international caps and scored 12 goals.
Krasnodar are fourth in the standings with Spartak two places further back.
Seattle Sounders
The Seattle Sounders have added depth at goalkeeper by signing veteran Troy Perkins.
Seattle were in need of another goalkeeper to back up starter Stefan Frei after Marcus Hahnemann retired and Josh Ford was selected by Orlando City in the MLS expansion draft.
Perkins became available following the MLS re-entry draft. The 33-year-old spent the past three seasons with Montreal, setting new career highs in appearances (33) and minutes played in the 2013 season. Last season, Perkins appeared in 21 games for the Montreal Impact.
Perkins previously played for DC United and the Portland Timbers in the MLS prior to joining Montreal. Perkins also spent three seasons in the Norwegian first division with Valerenga IF from 2008-10.
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