LATEST FOOTBALL TRANSFER STORIES, RUMOURS AND TITBITS (6/7/2015)

here is a round up of the day’s top transfer stories, rumours and done deals as compiled by our Man Paul Ayorinde.

Remember that you can Follow Paul on twitter @El_pauleta and also follow @Newfanzone for instant follow back, you can also like our Newfanzone Facebook page

Lets keep the conversation going!

Done Deals:

– New York City FC have completed the signing of Juventus midfielder Andreas Pirlo.

– Dynamo Zagreb have completed the signing of Angelo Henriquez from Manchester United

– Fenerbahce have announced the signing of Nani from Manchester United

– AC Milan have confirmed the signing of former Parma midfielder Jose Mauri on a four-year deal

– Valencia have completed the signing of Zakaria Bakkali on a five-year contract

– Manchester City have signed Enes Unal from Bursaspor.

– Getafe have completed the signing of Alvaro Medran from Real Madrid

– Deportivo La Coruna have signed forward Luis Alberto on a season-long loan from Liverpool.

– Rennes have completed the signing of Portuguese defender Pedro Mendes on a four-year contract

– Sampdoria have completed the signing of midfielder Fernando from Shakhtar Donetsk on a five-year contract for €8million

– Barcelona have signed Arda Turan from Atletico Madrid on a five-year contract for €34million.

Andrea Pirlo
photo credit: Piotr Drabik Follow
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode

Today’s reports and rumours:

– According to Sky Sports, Manchester United will listen to offers for Brazilian defender Rafael

– Marco Verratti’s agent has denied reports linking his client with a move away from Paris Saint-Germain this summer.

– Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has revealed the club are working on a deal to sign FC Twente defender Cuco Martina.

– Sporting Lisbon manager Jorge Jesus has seemingly ruled out a summer exit for William Carvalho.

– Leicester City and Watford have been linked with forward Tranquillo Barnetta.

– Rumour has it that talks are ongoing between Middlesbrough and West Ham over the signing of winger Stewart Downing.

– Watford have confirmed the signing of midfielder Etienne Capoue from Tottenham for a club record fee.

– Lazio have reached an agreement with Liverpool for to sign forward Fabio Borini, according to reports in Italy.

– Empoli sporting director Marcello Carli reveals they rejected an offer from Napoli for Riccardo Saponara.

– According to Spanish TV station TVE, Real Madrid have received a written offer from Porto for goalkeeper Iker Casillas

– Wolfsburg sporting director Klaus Allofs has said the club is keen on signing Stuttgart defender Antonio Rudiger

– According to reports, Chelsea midfielder Josh McEachran is set to join Championship side Brentford for £750,000.

– According to Chinese Super League side Shanghai SIPG are set for talks with Asamoah Gyan after agreeing a fee with Al-Ain

– According to reports, Sidney Sam has joined Eintracht Frankfurt on loan from Schalke.

– According to reports, Besiktas are interested in signing Chelsea striker Loic Remy on loan with a view to a permanent move

– According to reports, Sassuolo are set to aproach Fulham over striker Kostas Mitroglou.

– Fiorentina are reportedly interested in signing Copa America star Eduardo Vargas

– According to reports, OGC Nice are close to signing Monaco striker Valere Germain on a season-long loan.

– German goalkeeper Kevin Trapp is close to joining PSG from Eintracht Frankfurt

– Sassuolo sporting director Giovanni Carnevali says they will meet teams including Napoli ‘this week’ for defender Sime Vrsaljko.

– Stoke City are expected to sign Real Madrid teenager Sergio Molina this week,according to reports.

Raheem Sterling
photo credit: Kamran Hussain
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode

– Former France boss Raymond Domenech has urged Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin to
join Manchester United this summer.

– According to reports,Tottenham must pay £18million if they want to sign Belgium forward Yannick Ferreira Carrasco from Monaco.

– According to Sky Sports, Norwich have had three offers rejected by Hull City for winger Robbie Brady.

– Mohamed Salah’s agent says the winger will join parent club Chelsea for their pre-season training camp.

– Manchester United striker Robin van Persie would be a huge success at Fenerbahce, according to the club’s new signing Nani. “I haven’t had the chance to talk with Robin van Persie yet,but if he comes to Fenerbahce, I am sure that he will be very successful.” Nani said at his unveiling.

– Galatasaray coach Hamza Hamzaoglu have warned Inter Milan target Felipe Melo to turn up for training on Friday or ‘it will be a matter for the directors’.

– Newcastle United Sammy Ameobi is reportedly close to joining Cardiff City on a season-long loan deal

SAMMY AMEOBI.photo credit uefa.com

Football tit bits:

– Liverpool have named former Nottingham Forest coach Sean O’Driscoll as their new assistant manager.

– Southampton defender Ryan Bertrand will been sidelined for five-six weeks following a minor knee surgery

– Harold Mayne-Nicholls, a FIFA official who assessed the bids for the 2018
and 2022 World Cups has been banned from all football-related activity for seven years by FIFA’s ethics committee.

– Juventus coach Max Allegri has extended his contract by a further year.

Dressage Gets Equestrian Events Underway At 2015 Pan-Americans

With definite entries now confirmed, a total of 44 horse-and-rider combinations from 16 nations will line out in Dressage when the equestrian action gets underway at the Pan-American Games 2015 in OLG Caledon Pan Am Equestrian Park in Toronto, Canada next Saturday, 11 July.

The Pan-American Games are the world’s largest multi-sport event apart from the summer Olympic Games, and take place on a four-year cycle leading up to each summer Olympics. The Pan-Ams provide Olympic qualification opportunities for athletes in FEI geographical regions D and E – North America and Central/South America.

Approximately 6,135 athletes from 41 nations will compete in 36 sports at this 17th edition of the event which runs from 10 to 26 July. And a record 45% of competitors are expected to be female, the most ever for any multi-sport event. The Games will also be the largest multi-sport event ever held in Canada, with double the number of athletes that competed in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

The equestrian programme also includes Jumping and Eventing. The deadline for definite entries for these two disciplines is Monday 13 July.

Single qualifying spot

A total of 10 nations – Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, USA and Venezuela – will line out in the Dressage Team competition, but only four will be eligible for the single qualifying spot on offer for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. With teams made up of a combination of Big Tour and Small Tour pairs, only Argentina, Canada, Mexico and the USA can make the cut directly, as they are armed with the required Grand Prix-level partnerships.

However, apart from the single team spot up for grabs, countries can also qualify if three strong individual performances provide them with the option of creating a “composite” team.

The American record at the Pan-Americans has long been outstanding, and at the last edition staged in Guadalajara, Mexico in 2011 they returned a record-breaking fourth consecutive team victory and filled all three steps of the individual Dressage medal podium as well.

Cruised confidently

They cruised confidently into pole position in the team event ahead of the silver medallists from Canada, while Colombia claimed the bronze. And Steffen Peters set a new Pan-American Games record when posting a mark of 80.132 with Weltino’s Magic in the team competition before claiming individual gold ahead of Heather Blitz with Paragon in silver and Marisa Festerling and Big Tyme in bronze. It was a thoroughly convincing performance at all levels, and anchorman Peters was the linchpin of the US side.

He will fill that role once again this time around, partnering Legolas, the horse that gave the home fans so much to cheer about when the pair finished third in the Grand Prix at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2015 Final in Las Vegas, USA in April.

American riders claimed team gold and all the individual medals in Dressage at the 2011 Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. Pictured at the individual medal prize-giving (L to R) Heather Blitz (silver), Steffen Peters (gold) and Marisa Festerling (bronze). (FEI/Stockimageservices.com)

Ones to beat

The 2011 result brought the US tally to seven team and eight individual Dressage Pan-American titles, and there is little doubt that they are the ones to beat. Peters will be joined by Laura Graves (Verdades), Kimberly Herslow (Rosmarin) and Sabine Schut-Kery (Sanceo) in the bid to further improve the already-impressive US strike-rate.

Canada sends out Brittany Fraser (All In), Megan Lane (Caravella), Beldina Trussell (Anton) and Chris Von Martels (Zilverstar), while Argentina will be represented by Cesar Lopardo Grana (Tyara), Micaela Mabragana (Granada), Maria Florencia Manfredi (Bandurria Kacero) and Maria Juliana Ugalde (Caquel Cautivo). The Mexican side consists of Jose Luis Padilla Moreno (Donnersberg), Jesus Enrique Palacios (Wizard Banamex), Bernadette Pujals (Heslegaards Rolex) and Mariana Quintana Rivero (Guapo).

Meanwhile the Brazilian team includes Joao Victor Marcari Oliva whose mother, Hortencia Marcari, is a sporting icon in her home country and Vice-President of the Brazilian Olympic Athletes Commission. The Basketball legend was a member of Brazil’s winning team at the 1994 FIBA World Championship before going on to clinch Olympic silver two years later in Atlanta, USA, so her son is following in a strong sporting tradition.

Taking to the stage

Individuals from Bermuda, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Puerto Rico and Uruguay will also be taking to the stage as Dressage gets the 2015 equestrian events underway at 09.00 local time next Saturday morning.

“We are thrilled with the development of Dressage in the Americas”, FEI Director Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage Trond Asmyr said. “For the first time at the Pan-American Games some of the riders will compete at the same level as in the Olympic Games. This also makes the qualifications for the Olympics more in line with the rest of the world.”

Louise Parkes

NTTF Calls Up 20 For All Africa Games Camp

The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) has called up 20 players to resume camp for the 11th All Africa Games holding in Congo Brazzaville.

According to chief coach, Nosiru Bello, the invited players were selected based on their performance in some of the international and national competitions in the last one year.

Africa’s most decorated table tennis player, Segun Toriola and 2014 ITTF Star Player, Aruna Quadri top the list of 10 male players invited to camp.

ITTF Africa Senior Championship: Nigeria Dominates Men’s Doubles Event

Also, Seun Ajetunmobi, who has been out of the national team in the last two years will be returning to the team as one of the invited players.

Other male players include Ojo Onaolapo, Kazeem Makanjuola, Olaniran Boboye, Olawale Fagbamila, Hammed Hafeez and junior sensations, Nurudeen Hassan and Olasunkanmi Oginni.

The female players will be led by Germany-based Funke Oshonaike and Edem Offiong, while others are Cecilia Otu-Akpan, Janet Effiom, Rashidat Ogundele, Bosede Odusanya as well as junior sensations, Tosin Oribamise, Ajoke Ojomu and Halimot Ayinla.

Nigerian Women’s Team, at the 2015 ITTF-Africa Senior Championships

“All the invited players have proven themselves in most of these competitions and that is why we have invited them to be part of the camp and we hope some of these junior players can learn from the experienced ones so that they can also be warming themselves into the senior team. We are not inviting anybody without proven records. We hope that at the end of the day, the best will be selected for the country,” Bello said.

10 players made up of five male and five female will make the final list to AAG.

At the 2011 edition of the multi-sports championship in Mozambique, Nigeria finished second behind Egypt with three gold medals while Egypt won four to emerge as the overall best team for the first time since 1999 that Nigeria has been dominating the table tennis event.

FEI World Jumping Challenge Final 2015: Iran’s Pourrezal pips South Africa’s Hendry in three-round Final thriller

Iranian rider, Davood Pourrezal, galloped to gold in an exciting three-way jump-off against the clock in the closing competition at the FEI World Jumping Challenge Final 2015 in Zhitnica, Bulgaria yesterday. South Africa’s Simon Hendry took silver ahead of Namibia’s Michelle Kuenzle in bronze at the event which was staged at the HRC Trakietz Equestrian Centre.

The Final is open to Category A riders from 10 FEI regional zones and this year attracted 22 riders from 17 countries. And the flags of Bermuda, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, India, Iran, Libya, Morocco, Namibia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Syria, Swaziland, Uruguay and Venezuela were all flown with pride over the four days of competition.

Underway

The action got underway last Wednesday when 29 horses were presented for the veterinary inspection. The purpose of the FEI World Jumping Challenge series and Final is to introduce less experienced riders in comparatively remote countries to international-level competition. And the first test they face at the Final is building a relationship with a borrowed horse which is no mean feat at any time, even for the most professional of riders.

As always, the horse-and-rider combinations were decided by a draw, which was followed by a training session and then a confidence-building Warm-up competiiton. Run under Table A, article 238.1.1 rules, athletes with equality of penalties shared the prizes, so it was a seven-way divide between Giorgia Iermazzo from Dominican Republic, Uruguay’s Jorge Rossi, South Africa’s Simon Hendry, Chile’s Alfonse Anguita, Colombia’s Alejandro Castilla Galan, Saad Jabri from Morocco and India’s Rushil Patel when they all jumped clear.

The official Opening Ceremony was held that evening with all 22 competitors taking part in the athletes parade, and it was a very special occasion as the Organising Committee put together a programme that included traditional music and a video montage for each competing nation. Afterwards the athletes released air balloons to mark the beginning of the event.

Perfect start

The eventual champion got off to a perfect start the following day when, partnering the nine-year-old Drazki, he topped the one-round First Qualifier ahead of Colombia’s Castilla Galan while Saudi Arabia’s Meshal Alharbi slotted into third. It was an impressive opening effort from all the competitors, with 14 steering their mounts clear over the course.

It was in Friday’s Second Qualifier that South Africa’s Hendry began to look seriously competitive when lining up second in the two-round class over a 1.20m course with the 11-year-old Mirella Freni. Winner here was Saad Jabri with the 10-year-old Finesse whose speedy turn of foot in the second round gave the Moroccan rider more than two seconds of a winning advantage. Giorgia Ieromazzo finished third with Viziorka while Bulgaria’s Zhelyazko Dimitrov was fourth when producing the only other double-clear of the competition with Piquer.

The results of the first two qualifiers decided the top-10 who would go into the final day.

Satisfying result

Sunday’s action began with the Farewell competition for the athletes that didn’t make the cut to the Final, and Bermuda’s Krista Rabain had a particularly satisfying result when finishing third here with Rubine following her elimination for a fall in Friday’s class. There were only two clear rounds, and Venezuela’s Diego Malave Cariello produced by far the quickest of these when taking the win with Charizma who raced through the timers in 62.43 seconds. India’s Rushil Patel opted for a safe clear with Paris, and the decision paid off handsomely when the pair broke the beam in 77.8 seconds but left all the timber in place for runner-up spot.

Now it was down to the Final itself, and when only three managed to stay double-clear over the first two rounds, a thrilling jump-off was guaranteed. And it didn’t disappoint.

First out was Hendry who really put it up to the others when clear and fast in 36.00 seconds with Mirella Freni. And when Namibia’s Michelle Kuenzle had a pole down with her feisty stallion Charodey, then only Pourrezal stood between the South African and the coveted title.

But the Iranian managed to squeeze home with Drazki in 35.23 seconds and that would clinch it. Pourrezal said afterwards that he knew Hendry would be his strongest opponent. He had selected him as the rider most likely to succeed in a survey undertaken earlier in the week by all the competitors. “I knew what I had to do, and when I came into the arena and saw the cup I thought to myself that to win it would be a dream!” His dream came true only a few seconds later.

Iran’s Davood Pourrezal steered Drazki to win gold at the FEI World Jumping Challenge Final 2015 at Zhitnica in Bulgaria. (FEI/Tanya Mladenova)

Eclectic group

Pourrezal said he thoroughly enjoyed competing against such an eclectic group from all around the globe. “I’d really like to compete in an event like this again” he said. Asked about riding an unfamiliar horse he explained that he is used to different rides, so it was not a particular challenge for him. And he was delighted with the performance of the horse allocated to him.

“My first impression was that Drazki was maybe not the best in the lot, but had potential” he said. He changed his mind after riding him for the first time and winning the First Qualifier however. “I could clearly feel that he was a good horse, and we really clicked!” said the delighted new champion.

Results:

FEI World Jumping Challenge Final 2014: GOLD – Davood Pourrezal IRI; SILVER – Simon Hendry RSA; BRONZE – Michelle Kuenzle NAM.

Louise Parkes

Nigeria’s Animasahun Finishes Second At ITTF Hopes Challenge In China

Twelve year-old Abayomi Animasahun once again made Nigeria proud in far away Shanghai, China when he defied all odds to finish second in the boys’ singles of the 2015 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Hopes Challenge.

Animasahun, who has continued to compliment his feat at his first international competition at the Egypt Junior Open in June when he won the U-12 boys’ singles while he also finished among the top eight at the China Junior Open last week was the toast of ITTF officials who described the Ekiti State-born player as Africa’s prospect in the sport.

From the group stage, Animasahun made nonsense of some of the highly-rated players from Netherlands and Thailand to settle for second place having lost to United States’ Nikhil Kumar in one of the three matches in the preliminary round. But for placing second, he joined the American boy to qualify for the semifinal stage.

In the quarterfinal match, he continued his fine-form when he overcame New Zealand’s Nathan Xu 8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-5) to set up a semifinal tie against Belgium’s Adrian Rassefosse which he won. He finally set up a rematch against the American boy who had earlier defeated him in the group stage.

Nigeria’s Abayomi Animasahun (second left) during the medal presentation at the 2015 ITTF Hopes Challenge in Shanghai, China at the weekend.

However, what befell Animasahun happened again in the final match as the American won the match at 11-8, 11-6, 11-6 to be crowned the boys’ champion.

But the performance of the young Nigerian attracted accolades from ITTF Education and Training Coordinator, Dejan Papic.

Animasahun attracted a lot of attention, first he managed to outlast Nathan Xu of New Zealandin long top spin exchanges. The surprise victory made him hot, he moved better in the semifinal against Belgium’s Adrian Rassefosse and played with increased confidence. But in final, he ran out of steam and American Kumar played better in each game. It seemed the fact that Kumar being a left hander was one of the deciding factors,” Papic said.

In the girls’ singles, it was Egypt’s Sara Elhakem emerged winner after beating Germany’s Sophie Kee in the final.

Animasahun’s compatriot, Muibat Bello failed to make it to the podium having finished in the eighth among the 16 players that competed in the event.

Kenya Beat Algeria In All African Grand Prix Match

In a repeat of the recent African Women’s Championship final, Kenya once again overcame archrivals Algeria, but it was close, with Kenya prevailing 3-2 (20-25, 25-15, 23-25, 25-13, 15-13) on Sunday.

Algeria attacking

Mercy Moim pounded down 26 points for the Kenyans, including four blocks and three aces. Ruth Jepngetich’s 10 points included seven of Kenya’s 20 blocks. Brackcides Khadambi had 16 points for Kenya. The top scorer for Algeria was Kahina Arbouche with 18 points, followed by Redouani Amina with 15 points and Safia Boukhima with 14, which included four aces.

Algeria twice went ahead but Kenya responded emphatically, taking the second set 25-15 and the fourth 25-13, which sent the match to a tiebreaker. Algeria kept in touch with Kenya to 9-9 and even 11-12 but Kenya pulled away when it counted for their third win in Pool P in Cheraga.

Kenya’s Esther attacking

CAVB web site http://www.cavb.org

Egypt Overwhelm Montenegro In Epic Tiebreaker To Win Volleyball World League Group 3

Egypt celebrate a successful come-back to FIVB World League after 5 years of absence. The African team won the Group 3 Finals in Bratislava, where they beat rookie Montenegro in dramatic final match in the Slovakian capital city: 2-3 (20-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-23, 9-15). Egypt lost only one game in this season of World League and will play next season in Group 2.

Egypt started the final match better and took an early lead 5-2. African team served very well and caused a lot of problems for Montenegro in reception. When setter Bekhit hit an a ace, the score was 17-13 to Egypt and the team mentored by Italian coach Angiolini Frigoni won the first set 25-20.

The Egyptian team during one of the games

Montenegro had rocket start to second set, captain Vojin Cacic was successful with powerful attack and the team from Balkan lead 8-5. Egypt woke up in the second part of the set and levelled the score to 17, but Montenegro was better in final moments of the set and won it 25-21.

Unstopable Egyptian opposite Abdelhay Ahmed hit another ace in the third set and African team lead 8-5. Egypt was up through all the set, but at the end they suffered a big loss, because first setter and one of the best players on court Abdallah Bekhit injured his leg muscle and had to be substitued when the score was 20-17. Egypt finally won the set 25-23, but he was not able to come back on the field of play.

Abdel Moniem spiking

Fourth set was under controll of Montenegro team. They had problems only in final moments of the set when Egypt closed the gap from 19-24 to 23-24 when second setter Abdalla Hossam was in the serve area, but Montenegro finally got the fourth set 25-23 and the gold medal match had to be decided with a tie-break.

Egypt lead 6-4 in last set of the tournament, but Montenegro came back and sides were changed by score 8-7 for the Balkans. Then Masoud Mohamed came in and created problems with his float service. Egypt collected seven points in a row and finally won fifth set 15-9 and the top of the podium.

CAVB web site http://www.cavb.org

Mayweather To Loose WBO Welterweight Title To Bradley

on May 2, after defeating Manny Paquiao in Vegas Floyd Mayweather Announced to the entire world that he would be letting go of his belts “within a couple weeks” so as to give younger fighters a chance at winning titles.

Two months after the Boxer is truly about to loose at least one of his belts and its definitely not willingly.

It is believed that Mayweather’s failure to pay a 200 thousand dollars sanctioning fee by the 3rd of July means the WBO welterweight title he won from Paquiao in vegas would be taken from him by the World Boxing Organisation and handed to Interim champion Timothy Bradley.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR
photo credit: PrizeFights.com
https://www.flickr.com/photos/prizefights/16166145214/

Bradley defeated Vargas an interim title bout organised by the WBO to fill the Welterweight category held by Mayweather whose announcement that he was going to relinquish the title led to the WBO organising the Bradley vs Vargas Bout.

So as things stand Timothy Bradley will be announced as WBO Welterweight In A few hours time.