Sunday’s Football Transfer Market Roundup

Here’s today’s round up of Football Transfer Stories making the rounds across the world as compiled by our man Paul Ayorinde.

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football transfer Highlights:

– Official: Leeds United have signed midfielder Tomasso Bianchi and striker Souleymane Doukara.

– Official: Turkish side Trabzonspor has announced the appointee of former Algeria coach Valid Halihodzic as their new manager.

– Newcastle United close to signing Montpellier midfielder Remy Cabella. Reports in France claim Newcastle will pay £12m for cabella.

– Arjen Robben rules out following Van Gaal to Manchester United. The 30 year old winger told Dutch TV NOS “moving to united is not an option. I will stay at Bayern Munich”

– Arturo Vidal on Manchester United rumours : “I’m very calm, but anyone would love to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world”

– Report: Crystal Palace has agreed a deal to sign Gyfi Sigurdsson from Tottenham.

– Report: According to various sources, Manchester United and Arturo Vidal have agreed personal terms; talks are still on-going regarding a transfer fee.

– Report: Manchester United will give Patrice Evra £1.5million out of his £4million transfer as a thank you for his services over the last 8 years.

– Porto has agreed a deal to sign striker Adrian Lopez from La Liga champions Atletico Madrid.

– Reports in Spain suggest Sevilla are close to finalizing an initial loan deal for liverpool’s Iago Aspas.

– Report: Luis Suarez could lose as much as £3million of his £10million per year Barcelona salary if he bites another opponent.

– Report: Arsenal are ready to make a £6.5million bid for Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy

– Report: Harry Redknaap has launched a bid to land Norwich’s Dutch star Leroy Fer

– Report: Juventus are preparing a £20million bid for Tottenham and Brazil midfielder Paulinho

– Report: Real Madrid are open to selling Sami Khedira for £19.8million

Arturo Vidal

NEW ZEALAND TOPS WORLD ROWING CUP SERIES FOR 2014

The 2014 World Rowing Cup series had its final day today in Lucerne, Switzerland. Twenty finals were raced with New Zealand finishing the World Rowing Cup series at the top of the medals table.

The World Rowing Cup series kicked off in Sydney (AUS) in March with Australia coming out on top. Following the second World Rowing Cup in Aiguebelette (FRA) last month, Australia remained as the leading country. Then a string of medals for New Zealand at the third World Rowing Cup in Lucerne (SUI) today, put them ahead of Australia.

New Zealand secured gold medals in the men’s pair with the Olympic and World Champion crew of Eric Murray and Hamish Bond continuing their unbeaten winning streak. Mahe Drysdale and Emma Twigg then made it a double header by winning the men’s and women’s single sculls respectively. A fourth gold was taken in the lightweight men’s four with the New Zealanders keeping ahead of World Champions Denmark.

With New Zealand earning 141 points for the series, Great Britain finished in second with 126 points and Australia was third with 125. Overall 36 countries earned World Cup points.

But the most successful nation at Lucerne was Great Britain. The British earned 64 points helped by gold medal success in the women’s pair. Olympic Champions, Heather Stanning and Helen Glover held off New Zealand to take gold. The formidable British men’s four then struck gold ahead of World Champions from the Netherlands with Canada taking third. Great Britain’s third gold medal came in the lightweight women’s double sculls. The crew of Imogen Walsh and Katherine Copeland held off strong challenges from Australia and Canada who took silver and bronze respectively.

One of the most highly anticipated races was the men’s eight with Olympic Champions, Germany racing World Champions Great Britain and new talents Russia. This was Germany’s first major race of the season and they proved to still have the winning edge by finishing ahead of Russia. Great Britain was third.

The 2014 World Rowing Cup series is now complete. Up next is the World Rowing Under 23 Championships in Varese (ITA) from 23-27 July 2014. Then the World Rowing Junior Championships will take place in Hamburg (GER) from 6-10 August 2014. The highlight of the season, the World Rowing Championships, will be held from 24-31 August in Amsterdam (NED).

NEW ZEALAND TOPS WORLD ROWING CUP SERIES FOR 2014. photo credit : WORLD ROWING Media