Liverpool to complete £16million deal for 

Sevilla's Alberto Moreno.

• By Football Spy

PLUS: Southampton have £4.5million bid rejected for Leeds right back Sam Byram and West Brom are interested in West Ham winger Matt Jarvis

 Alberto Moreno 

The summer transfer window is open, and agents and club representatives are plotting their next moves.

Get the latest transfer news, gossip and rumours from the Daily Mirror and plenty more newspapers and websites below.

Transfer news from today's Daily Mirror

Atletico Madrid are back in for Spurs striker Roberto Soldado.

Southampton boss Ronald Koeman has lined-up Steaua Bucharest and Romania centre-back Florin Gardos to be his sixth summer signing. Saints are also still interested in Sporting Lisbon's £14m-rated Argentina defender Marcos Rojo and Leeds' England Under-21 right-back Sam Byram.

Chelsea are set to loan winger Marko Marin to Italian side Fiorentina for the season. The German spent last season at Sevilla, helping the Spaniards win the Europa League.

Manchester City striker Devante Cole - son of former England forward Andy - is wanted on loan by Motherwell.

West Ham are eyeing Manchester City winger Albert Rusnak, who is currently on loan at Dutch side SC Cambuur and set to be out of contract next summer.

Superstar Colombian striker Radamel Falcao is refusing to rule out leaving Monaco this summer, according to his father. Falcao has been linked with Real Madrid and Liverpool.

Other stories from today's Daily Mirror

Derby's Championship promotion chasers are turning down match by match win bonuses this season to aim for an all-or-nothing £6million jackpot as a reward for going up to the Premier League. They could earn £500k if they go up - but won't get a penny if they don't.

Transfer news and rumours from other papers

Liverpool WILL complete a £16million deal for left back Alberto Moreno of Sevillaafter his club's UEFA Super Cup final with Real Madrid tomorrow (Daily Mail).

Southampton have had a £4.5million bid rejected for Leeds right back Sam Byram(Daily Mail).

Garry Monk admits that Swansea are all but out of the race to sign Villarrealmidfielder Jonathan de Guzman (Daily Express).

QPR are in talks over a deal for Jonathan de Guzman from Villarreal (Daily Mail).

source:www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news

Manchester City seal £32million Eliaquim Mangala 
deal after resolving third-party ownership issue.

Breakthrough: Mangala appears to be on his way to the Etihad 

Eliaquim Mangala has

completed his protracted £32million move to Manchester City this week - paving the way for Matija Nastasic to leave.

Mangala's transfer from Porto has been held up while City sort out the complicated issue of the French centre-half's third-party ownership.

The Blues feel they have finally resolved this issue and boss Manuel Pellegrini let this slip before Sunday's Community Shield defeat at Wembley when he listed Mangala among his summer signings.

Pellegrini said: "The players that we have brought in - Fernando, Caballero, Sagna and Mangala -will help the team and will make us stronger defending, but I hope we continue to be strong offensively. I'm happy with the squad."

The deal was confirmed on the club's Twitter page this afternoon and the championsplan to unveil Mangala at their City Live event at Manchester Central on Thursday when the supporters get the chance to meet the players for the new campaign.

Mangala's arrival will squeeze out Nastasic and City will listen to offers for the Serbian centre-half, with a return to Italy looking likely two years after he joined from Fiorentina.

David Rogers

On his way: Nastasic was disappointing in Sunday's Community Shield loss

 Pellegrini will

promote Belgian Dedryck Boyata to his panel of senior central defenders for the new campaign.

This leaves no place for Dutch defender Karim Rekik and Pellegrini will loan him back to PSV Eindhoven because he knows he needs senior football to continue his development.

Pellegrini will be happy and relieved to get Mangala finally over the line and the Blues first tried to sign him in January.

They tried again at the end of last season, only to be told by Mangala that he wanted to wait until after the World Cup before deciding his future.

He finally gave City the thumbs up and flew over to Manchester last month for a medical.

He did an interview with the club's website, which was accidentally leaked out, and the paperwork for the move was held up while City resolved his third-party ownership.

Premier League: Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge eyes Chelsea return

 

46

Daniel Sturridge: Might not celebrate against Chelsea

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has confirmed that he is hoping to feature against Chelsea this weekend.

Sturridge missed the win at Norwich last weekend with a hamstring injury, but Liverpool are hoping to include him on Sunday.
Sturridge admits he should be fit but does not know if Brendan Rodgers will start with him
.

 

 

 

                        

Live Super Sunday

Liverpool vs Chelsea

April 27, 2014, 2:00pm

Sky Sports 1 HD

 

"Hopefully this weekend I'll be back," said Sturridge.
"I'm not too sure if he'll play me or not. We'll have to see."
Sturridge admitted that he was unsure how he would react if he scored against Chelsea - being one of his former clubs - but thinks it would be hard not to celebrate in his usual exuberant fashion.
"I would like to show respect to my former club," he said.
"But if I were to come on and score in the last minute I'm going to be on a mad one, aren't I?"

Player Profile

15. Daniel Sturridge

• Appearances 32 (2)
• Goals 25
• Assists 7
• Yellows 2
• Reds 0
• Current Season

"I don't want to - but I don't know if I could control myself if that happened."
Team-mate Jordan Henderson is hopeful that Sturridge will be playing on Sunday and told Sky Sports News: "He is a massive player for us.
"The last game against Norwich I thought we did brilliantly, but it's always a bonus to have a player like Daniel back, so hopefully he is fit and can do the business at the weekend.
"We're in a very good position but nothing's won yet. I think we've got to keep our feet firmly on the ground, starting with Chelsea.
"And our focus is on not getting too carried away and just keepin.

sourse: skysports   By Graeme Bailey

Kwesi Appiah’s provisional 30-man squad for the World Cup

Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah

Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah

Finder Sports can authoritatively confirm that Black Stars Coach James Kwesi Appiah has finalized his provisional 30 man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil later this year.

It is from this provisional squad that Appiah will select his final 23 man squad for the tournament.

There are no major surprises in the squad except for the inclusion of former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong who now plays for Championship side Barnsley.

The inclusion of defender Jeff Schlupp may come as a surprise to many but his recent performances for club side Leicester City has earned him a place in the provisional list.

Schlupp who is a natural striker has been converted into a defensive player and seems comfortable at right-back for Leicester. Appiah is poised to try him as right-back for the Black Stars.

There were however no places for veteran goalkeeper Richard ‘Olele’ Kingson and defender John Mensah in the squad. Recent media reports suggested that the duo could force their way into the provisional list before Appiah takes a final decision on whether or not to take them to the tournament in Brazil.

There were also no places for Afreyie Acquah and Richmond Boakye- Yiadom both of whom have been impressive for Italian side Parma and Spanish side Elche respectively.
Anthony Anna makes a return to the team same as Isaac Vorsah. Only one local player in the person of goalkeeper Stephen Adams managed to make the cut for the provisional squad list.

Ghana will begin preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on May 25. They will play a series of friendly games before departing for Brazil where they have to find a way out of a difficult Group G comprising Germany, USA and Portugal.

Full Squad below

Goalkeepers: Stephen Adams, Adam Kwarasey, Daniel Agyei, Fatua Duada

Defenders: Samuel Inkoom, Daniel Opare, Jonathan Mensah, Baba Rahman, Harrison Afful , John Boye, Isaac Vorsah, Jerry Akaminko, Jeff Schlupp

Midfielders:  Sulley Muntari, Mubarak Wakaso, Rabui Mohammed, Michael Essien, Agyemang Badu, Anthony Annan, Chipsah, Andre Ayew , Kojo Asamoah, Christian Astu, Emmanuel Frimpong, Albert Adomah

Strikers: Jordan Ayew, Majeed Warris, Asamoah Gyan, Kevin- Prince Boateng.

Source: Finder Sports

Black Stars sign $100,000 deal with online car portal Cheki Ghana

Thursday 24th April , 2014 4:51 pm

The Ghana Football Association and Cheki Ghana Limited has signed a two-year agreement to sponsor the Black Stars ahead of the 2014 World Cup.
The online car selling and buying firm signed the agreement worth $100,000 at a ceremony held at the Ghana FA headquarters in Accra on Thursday.
Country Director of Cheki Eric Amoako Twum says the opportunity to associate with a powerful brand like the Black Stars was too much of an attraction to ignore.
“The Black Stars is the passion of the nation and we wanted to be part of something that truly binds the nation like the Black Stars,” he said at the event
“We are looking to grow our brand and for us, the Black Stars provides us with the most powerful support needed to do this.”
Ghana FA boss Kwesi Nyantakyi who signed the agreement on behalf of the Ghana FA says the new sponsorship deal will help further enhance the finances needed to guarantee the continued success of the Black Stars.

“What this sponsorship does is that it makes the kitty for the Black Stars bigger so that we are able to offer better bonuses to the players and also employ competent staff,” he said.
“Money plays a very key role in the success of any organisation especially football and we are happy with this new sponsorship agreement.”
Ghana will be making a third successive appearance at the World Cup this June in Brazil.
The Black Stars look to go at least one better than their quarter final feat achieved in the last finals four years ago in South Africa.

Coach Duncan quits Hearts of Oak

Coach David Duncan

Coach David Duncan has parted ways with Accra Hearts of Oak after only a year in charge.

The reasons for his departure are unclear but sources say he left by mutual agreement. Duncan took over the Phobian club in the middle of 2012/2013 season and led them to an incredible run that almost saw them clinch a top four place after battling relegation all season.

His departure comes with the team currently second on the league log,four point behind Asante Kotoko and facing a massive trip to Amidaus Professionals.


source By: Godfred Akoto Boafo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

U17 WC Final: Nigeria 3-0 Mexico

Nigeria became the most successful team in FIFA U-17 World Cup history with a 3-0 win over holdersMexico at the Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The final was a rematch of the 6-1 winNigeria inflicted on the Mexicans in Group F play and sees the Golden Eaglets lay hands on the junior world trophy for the fourth time in their history, one better than South American giants Brazil. When the final whistle went in the UAE capital, fans and players alike rejoiced, fingers pointed to the sky, with what has become the traditional Nigerian celebration of: “yes, yes yes! ”

Mexico kept the ball for a full two minutes at the start of the game, moving it around well and making the Nigerians chase. El Tri even managed the first chance on goal after six minutes. Osvaldo Rodriguez crossed from the left, but Alejandro Diaz couldn’t keep his close-range effort the right side of the post. Two minutes on and Ivan Ochoa – who scored twice in the semi-final win over Argentina – saw his off-balance header pushed over the bar by Dele Alampasu.

The corner came to nothing for the Mexicans, but Nigeria benefitted greatly by bursting out on a classic counter-attack. Kelechi Iheanacho went flying up the pitch. With just one Mexican defender in position, the No10 Golden Eaglet laid the ball in for Taiwo Awoniyi who then fed it on to Musa Yahaha, who had a little help from Erick Aguirre. The Mexican midfielder mistakenly hit the ball into his own net in an attempt to recover.

With the score 1-0, Musa Muhammed was giving the Mexicans fits with his rampaging runs up the right side. He pinned the opponents back at every opportunity. As the first half pushed toward the interval, the Africans upped their tempo in search of a second goal. Yahaya rattled the crossbar with a stunning effort from 20 yards out after 38 minutes. Pressure was mounting and the fans in the stands were on their feet when Awoniyi’s bicycle-kick from the penalty spot forced Raul Gudino into a magnificent reaction save in the dying moments of the half.

The second period began with a frenzy of attacks at both ends of the pitch, but it was Nigeria who made theirs count, making it 2-0 in the 56th minute. Captain Muhammed unleashed a wicked swirling shot that Mexican keeper Gudino simply couldn’t hang on to. He spilled a rebound directly to the feet of the most dangerous man on the pitch, and Iheanacho made no mistake dispatching his sixth goal of the tournament.

With a quarter-hour to go, Mexico managed to carve out a rare second-half chance, but Ochoa’s header from close-range slipped wide of the post as the holders began to wilt under the ceaseless pressure of the buzzing Nigerians. Muhammed added a third with ten minutes to go, curling a sublime free-kick into the top corner.

Anyone in UAE who had the pleasure to see them will tell you that this Nigerian team were the best on offer. Even a few of the Mexican fans were mumbling “yes, yes, yes” when the final whistle went on Nigeria’s glorious campaign here in UAE.


Source: Fifa.com