Mohamed Salah's Chelsea career is hanging in the balance as he may be ordered to return to Egypt to complete military service, Egyptian media have reported.
Salah, who completed a move to Stamford Bridge from Swiss club Basel in January, is allowed to live in England on the basis of his participation in an educational programme.
His registration to that programme has been rescinded by the Minister of Higher Education in Egypt, the football website kingfut.com said, meaning the pacey Salah, 22, may have to return to his home country.
If Salah was obliged to go back to Egypt, he would not be allowed to leave again until completion of a period of military service, ranging from 12 months to three years.
“Salah has expressed his shock about the decision,” Egyptian national team director Ahmed Hassan said on kingfut.com.
“He told me that he is trying to represent Egypt in the best way possible. Is this the best response from the country?”
A meeting has been scheduled between the Egyptian FA, the national team coaching staff and the Minister of Higher Education to find a solution.
BRAZIL
Former World Cup-winning captain Dunga is reportedly the favourite on a shortlist of candidates to coach Brazil’s national team.
Dunga, whose given name is Carlos Bledorn Verri, previously coached Brazil from 2006 to 2010, where he won the 2007 Copa America and the 2009 Confederations Cup.
He was fired by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) after losing to the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup.
One report said Dunga has a good relationship with Gilmar Rinaldi, who was named on Thursday as general manager for Brazil’s national teams. Both played in the 1994 World Cup winning team. It is believed the CBF and Dunga, 50, began talks early this week and they have been progressing well.
A new coach to replace Luiz Felipe Scolari is expected to be named on Tuesday.
Scolari, who guided Brazil to their fifth World Cup title in 2002, resigned as coach after the tournament this month where the hosts entered as hot favourites but finished fourth.
They were also humiliated by eventual champions Germany 7-1 in the semi-finals and then lost the third-place play-off 3-0 to the Netherlands.
Local media has reported that Tite, the former Al Wahda manager who led Corinthians to the World Club Championship in 2012, and Sao Paulo manager Muricy Ramalho were front runners for the job.
Dunga’s last job was as coach of Internacional, where he spent a great part of his playing career but was sacked last October after a fourth successive loss in the Brazilian league that left them mid-table.
As coach of Brazil’s national team, he led the team to 42 victories, 12 draws and six defeats,
WEST BROMWICH ALBION
West Bromwich Albion splashed out a club record fee to sign Nigeria striker Brown Ideye from Dynamo Kiev on Friday.
Ideye, 25, signed a three-year contract, with an option for a fourth, with the Premier League club after agreeing to leave the Ukrainian outfit.
He moves to the Hawthorns for an undisclosed fee in excess of that paid for Stephane Sessegnon when the midfielder moved from Sunderland last year.
“Albion have signed Nigeria international striker Brown Ideye from Dynamo Kiev for a club-record transfer fee,” a statement on the club’s website announced.
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Albion head coach Alan Irvine believes Ideye has all the attributes needed to succeed in the Premier League.
“Brown is a quality striker and I’m looking forward to working with him,” he said.
“He’s a strong, quick, powerful player who likes to get in behind defences and has plenty of Champions League and international experience.”
Ideye has been handed the Albion number nine shirt and will join up with the squad when they return from a pre-season training camp in California.
He scored 34 goals in three seasons with Dynamo, having previously played for Sochaux and Neuchatel Xamax after starting his career in his homeland with Ocean Boys.
He has won 24 caps for Nigeria, scoring five times including in the semi-final as the Super Eagles won last year’s African Nations Cup.
JUVENTUS
Juventus have signed highly rated Spanish striker Alvaro Morata from Real Madrid for £15.8 million (Dh99m).
The 21 year old from Madrid, who scored eight goals in 23 Primera Liga appearances for Uefa Champions League winners Madrid, has signed a five-year contract with the Serie A champions.
A statement published on Juve’s official website read: “Juventus Football Club can announce that Alvaro Morata has signed a five-year contract with the club after a fee of 20million euros, to be paid over three years, was agreed with Real Madrid.
“The deal includes the option for Real Madrid to reacquire the player’s registration rights at the end of the 2015/16 or 2016/17 campaigns, at predetermined values, up to a maximum of €30m. These values will be based on the number of matches played by Morata in the relevant season.”
Days after Massimiliano Allegri replaced Antonio Conte as coach, Juventus have also expressed interest in signing Argentine midfielder Roberto Peyrera from Udinese.
QUEENS PARK RANGERS
QPR’s Mali midfielder Samba Diakite joined Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad on a season-long loan on Friday.
Diakite struggled to impress at Loftus Road following his transfer from French club Nancy two years ago and he agreed to move to Al Ittihad after flying to the Middle East for talks.
“QPR midfielder Samba Diakite has joined Saudi Arabian top-flight side Al Ittihad on a season-long loan deal,” a statement on the Premier League club’s website announced.
The 25-year-old has made 23 appearances for QPR, scoring one goal, and spent part of last season on loan at Championship club Watford.
He was sent off in his first game for Watford and failed to start in any subsequent matches.
DERBY COUNTY
Derby have signed midfielder George Thorne from West Brom for an undisclosed fee.
The 21-year-old has penned a four-year deal with the Rams having helped them reach the Championship play-off final last season while on loan.
Derby boss Steve McClaren told the club website: “We’re really pleased that George Thorne has joined us on a permanent basis.
“I am sure the fans will be delighted to welcome him back and we’re equally pleased that he sees Derby County as the right place for him at this point of his career.
“It’s taken a lot of hard work for us to get to this stage but I think it says a lot about where we are at as a club that we’ve been able to bring someone like George in permanently.”
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