Blackburn Confirm Transfer Of Yakubu

Blackburn has confirmed the signing of Everton forward Ayegbeni Yakubu. The 28-year-old has joined for an undisclosed fee on a three-year contract. Rovers are also awaiting confirmation that the paperwork on a deal for Sheffield United's Jordan Slew, who has agreed a four-year deal.

Meanwhile, Blackburn has cancelled the contract of El Hadji Diouf, manager Steve Kean has confirmed. The Senegal forward spent the second half of last season on loan at Rangers but they did not take up the option of signing him permanently. Diouf incurred the wrath of Kean after returning late for pre-season training and the club has now decided to cut their losses.

"Dioufy has left the club. I think we reached a mutual-consent termination of his contract last night," said the Scot. "He will be moving on to pastures new and we wish him all the best."

Kean, however, was pleased to have kept hold of his key players despite plenty of speculation surrounding Chris Samba and Steven Nzonzi. And he had more good news for Rovers fans after revealing a "deal in principle" had been reached with Junior Hoilett on a new long-term contract which should be finalized in the next 24 hours.

"There was interest in Steven but we fought it off," added Kean. "There were no bids that came in for Chris Samba and although there was plenty of speculation that bids would come in they never materialized.”I gave Chris a couple of days off intentionally to make sure he was out of the country and we are delighted he is still here. "It is credit to the players and the club that some of the biggest names out there are supposedly interested in our players.

"We now have our group who will take us forward and I am delighted the window has closed and with the business we have done.”There were some big moves which went though late yesterday but we have managed to keep a real strong group together and when you look at the squad and the permutations we have up front and quality in defence I think we are stronger."

On Hoilett, one of Rovers' outstanding performers towards the end of last season, he added: "We are very close on Junior's deal. We've had extensive talks with him over the last couple of days. "We have agreed in principle a deal which has not been signed yet as there are a few minor things to sort out.”We are confident it will be done and dusted in the next 24 hours. "To see the emergence of him in the last few months, he is an exciting prospect for us to get him tied down for the next four or five years."

Aston Villa Snap Up Duo

Aston Villa has confirmed the signing of Scotland full-back Alan Hutton and Jermaine Jenas, both from Tottenham.

Former Rangers defender Hutton 26, has agreed a permanent move to Villa park, signing a contract through to 2015 while Jenas has joined on loan for the rest of the season.

A statement on Villa's official website from manager Alex McLeish said: ''Alan is a player whom I know well. He is an athletic full-back in his mid-20s - a very good age - and he has a lot of experience playing at a high level, both internationally with Scotland and with Rangers and Tottenham which are big clubs.

''So he fits the bill in terms of having the right temperament to be an important and influential player for Villa.

''Jermaine is a dynamic midfield player and I feel he will add to the quality of the squad as well. He also has played at a very high level and I'm sure he will be relishing this opportunity.''

Villa earlier confirmed they reached an agreement with Shamrock Rovers to sign Republic of Ireland Under-21 international defender Enda Stevens in January.

Stevens, 21, was part of the team that beat Partizan Belgrade to reach the Europa League group stages and will remain with Shamrock until the new year.

He said: ''This is massive for me. It's a dream come true. I never expected it to come as soon as it has, especially after the last few games in Europe.

''I grew up following and watching the Premier League and I can dream of playing in it now. Villa have had some great Irish players and been very good for Irish players. I'm a player who likes to get forward, can defend and I like to play football. I like to get the ball down and play.''

Sunderland Capture Bendtner On Loan

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has confirmed that the club has sealed a year-long loan move for Nicklas Bendtner from Arsenal.

Bendtner, 23, has clinched a temporary move to the Stadium of Light after being told he was not part of Arsene Wenger's plans.

Bruce will hope he will bring the goals his side has been lacking to date this season and provide a foil for Asamoah Gyan, who himself was the subject of interest from Turkey during the final days of the transfer window.

The deal re-unites a player and a manager who worked together during their time at Birmingham.

Bruce said: ''I've had the privilege of working with Nicklas previously. I had him as an 18 year-old and he helped clinch promotion for Birmingham.

''He's an outstanding talent and is a big, physical presence who will lead the line magnificently for us.''

Bendtner is the third frontman to arrive at the club this summer following the captures of youngsters Connor Wickham and Ji Dong-won, who Bruce believes will be big players for the club in the years to come.

Stracqualursi Joins Everton

Everton has signed Argentine striker Denis Stracqualursi on season-long loan.

The move comes as Yakubu exits Goodison Park to sign a permanent deal with Blackburn Rovers.

Stracqualursi, a 6ft 3in frontman, arrives from Tigre, who plays in the South American country’s top division.

He was joint top scorer in the Argentine Apertura last term netting 11 times in 19 games and had been a target for champions Velez Sarsfield as they looked to replace their Fiorentina-bound star Santiago Silva.

Aged 23, Stracqualursi arrives having notched a hat-trick against heavyweight Boca Juniors back in April.

Nicknamed El Traca – the firecracker - he has also played for Gimnasia La Plate in his homeland and boasts an overall record of 27 goals in 84 appearances in South America.

He passed a medical at Finch Farm on Wednesday and has put pen to paper ahead of the 11pm transfer deadline, becoming Everton’s first Argentine player in the process.

Scott Dann Signs For Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn has signed centre-back Scott Dann from Birmingham for £6m.

Dann, 24, has penned a four-year contract with the Ewood Park club who has yet to score a point after three Premier League games.

"I need to play and I'm not happy unless there are games so I am delighted I am now playing for Blackburn," said Dann.

"It wasn't an option for me to stay in the Championship, I needed a new challenge."

Dann had an impressive first season in the Premier League with Birmingham in 2009/2010 and was playing well last season until a hamstring put him on the sidelines.

Now back to full fitness, the 24-year-old former Coventry player had been linked with a number of clubs this summer following Blues' relegation from the Premier League.

"While I've been at Birmingham there has been a lot of speculation that I would be leaving and to get it finally wrapped up is a relief," added Dann.

"I heard of Blackburn's interest a couple of days ago and it has all happened quickly and I was delighted to get it all sorted last night.

"From a personal point of view I would have liked it to have been done sooner so I could have got straight in with my new team-mates but it hasn't worked out that way."

The Liverpool-born defender had a medical in Lancashire on Wednesday, but the finalities of his contract were not confirmed until less than 30 minutes before the close of the transfer window.

QPR Sign Shaun Wright-Phillips

Shaun Wright-Phillips has completed his move from Manchester City to QPR.

The 29-year-old winger has joined the Loftus Road club in a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

He made 93 appearances for City after rejoining from Chelsea in 2008 following three years in the capital.

"After speaking to the manager Neil Warnock and seeing the direction he thinks the club is going, I wanted to help make it happen," said the England international.

"Neil Warnock just told me to be energetic and create goals. I'm very excited to be here. It's a big club. I just want to get back playing football."

Wright-Phillips will now link up with his former City team-mate Joey Barton as he returns to his native city.

He continued: "There was a bit of toing and froing and making sure the deal was done the way both parties wanted. But I spent most of the day sat down chilling with my dad, my uncle and friends.

"I want to thank the Eastlands fans for their support and there will always be a blue spot in my heart - they have supported me for ten years of my life."

"I'd also like to thank the managers of Bolton, Wigan and Stoke for showing an interest in me but in the end it was an easy decision to make. I'm looking to seeing my old mate Joey, it should be a good laugh."

QPR manager Neil Warnock told the club website: "I'm just really excited that we've been able to attract a player like Shaun to the club.

"Right from day one, him and Joey Barton were at the top of our list and we've managed to get both of them, so I couldn't be more pleased.

"He's got a great attitude, a great character and he just wants to improve and impress as a footballer.

"Shaun's so positive and that's what we're looking for from all players that join QPR."

Tankovic Signs For Fulham

Fulham has confirmed the signing of Swedish striker Muamer Tankovic on a three-year deal.

The 16-year-old IFK Norrkoping attacker had been generating interest from Barclays Premier League clubs this year and has now joined the west London side.

Tankovic netted a brace in Sweden Under-16's 3-1 win against Wales in May and will remain at Craven Cottage until the summer of 2015.

Dateline Day Transfer News And Views

(Source from BBC Sports)

Raul Meireles and Mikel Arteta swapped the city of Liverpool for London in dramatic deals on a busy transfer deadline day.

Meireles moved from Liverpool to Chelsea, while Everton's Arteta joined Arsenal along with Chelsea midfielder Yossi Benayoun.

Arsenal also signed Germany defender Per Mertesacker and left back Andre Santos from Fenerbahce for £6.2m as Arsene Wenger re-shaped his squad after Sunday's 8-2 defeat by Manchester United.

Manchester City completed the free-transfer of former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves and allowed out-of-favour forward Craig Bellamy to rejoin former club Liverpool.

Liverpool let two players depart for France, Joe Cole moving to Lille on a season-long loan and midfielder Christian Poulsen joining Evian.

Manchester United did not make any deadline day deals, with Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder revealing on Twitter that he would be staying in Italy.

Fulham and Stoke made major striker signings.

Fulham bought FC Twente striker Bryan Ruiz for £10.6m, beating off a late rival bid from Newcastle United.

Stoke broke their transfer record to sign Tottenham's Peter Crouch for £10m, and also bought Wilson Palacios from Spurs for a fee believed to be around £6m.

Spurs also let Jermaine Jenas and Alan Hutton move to Aston Villa, the latter opting for the West Midlands over a move to Fulham.

Tottenham winger David Bentley joined West Ham on a season-long loan.

Spurs completed the deal for West Ham United's Scott Parker, but failed to sign Bolton defender Gary Cahill.

Sunderland ended their search for a striker when Nicklas Bendtner moved from Arsenal on a year-long loan deal.

Arsenal also let young striker Joel Campbell, who only signed last week, join French side Lorient on loan, following team-mate Gilles Sunu, who made a permanent switch to the Ligue 1 outfit.

QPR added Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips to their squad and Sunderland's Anton Ferdinand. Their move for Spurs defender Sebastian Bassong fell through due to Spurs' failure to sign Bolton's Gary Cahill.

As well as keeping hold of their prized defensive asset Cahill, Bolton added new faces by sealing a permanent deal for Liverpool striker David Ngog and a loan switch for Chelsea midfielder Gael Kakuta.

Blackburn raided Goodison Park to sign striker Yakubu, and also complete moves for Birmingham defender Scott Dann and Sheffield United frontman Jordan Slew.

Everton made two loan signings: Real Madrid's Royston Drenthe on loans and striker Denis Stracqualursifrom Argentine side Tigres. The Toffees let Jermaine Beckford to join Leicester.

Wigan completed two deals, signing Celtic winger Shaun Maloney for a fee of £1m and Chelsea defender Patrick van Aanholt on loan.

(Source: BBC from Sports)

Now that the transfer dateline is over, some teams in my opinion has strengthened its squad while others might be worse off from its transfer deals.

Positive Signings:

Arsenal have signed Mikel Arteta, Per Mertesacker, Yossi Benayoun and Andre Santos, as well as Park Chu-Young, while Niklas Bendtner has joined Sunderland on loan. This is good news for Arsenal fans who just had a week to forget after seeing their side hammered by rivals Manchester United. Arteta will be a great addition in their midfield after losing Fabregas and Nasri, and Mertesacker and Santos will add much needed stability in defense. This signings will definitely improve the squad after their best eleven against Man Utd, do not look like a side that can even finish in the top half of the Premier League.

Chelsea surprised everyone after securing the signature of Raul Meireles in the last minute of the transfer dateline. It is still not known how Andre Villas-Boas will fit Meireles into the team, already with many quality midfielders, but adding a player of Meireles’ quality is always a good problem to have.

QPR, under a new owner, Malaysian own Tony Fernandez, has a new ambition. They have been very busy in the transfer market and plan to add up to 5 new quality players to strengthen their squad. They have succeeded to add 3, with the signing of Shaun Wright-Phillips and Anton Ferdinand yesterday, as well as Joey Barton last week, which is a positive move for their squad for me. Expect them to stay up in the Premier League this season.

Stoke City has manage to strengthen its attacking options by signing 2 strikers, Cameron Jerome from Birmingham and Peter Crouch of Spurs. They also signed a good defensive midfielder, Wilson Palacios, also from Spurs. Already a good squad, expect these signings to improve their team and help them in their push in the Europa League and Premier League.

Bolton Wanderers, importantly, manage to hold on to Gary Cahill, at least for another six months. Spurs have tried their best to get the signature of Cahill, but Owen Coyle is determined to keep his quality defender at the Reebok. They also picked up a few decent players on transfer deadline day including David N’Gog (from Liverpool) and Gael Kakuta (from Chelsea, on loan), to add to their already impressive attack.

Blackburn Rovers has picked up quality defender Scott Dann from Birmingham and tricky striker Yakubu from Everton. They also managed to keep Christopher Samba in their team. To me, these signings are much needed to improve their squad, who are currently favourites to be relegated next term.

Negative Signings:

Tottenham Hotspur offloaded Alan Hutton, Wilson Palacios, Peter Crouch and Jermaine Jenas. They manage to keep Luca Modric and sign Adebayor on loan. Spur are hoping to capture Gary Cahill and another striker, but will have to do with Adebayor. They will be hoping for Adebayor to hit goal-scoring form and Modric to get over his dream move and start playing his best for Spurs again.

Everton to me are the biggest loser during dateline day after losing its best player, Mikel Arteta, to Arsenal for a fee that’s believed to be £10 million. That transfer fee is an absolute bargain for a class player like Arteta, and it shows what a financially unstable position Everton is in. With the deal being done at the eleventh hour, Everton didn’t have time to use the money to buy a top class player, but they did get Royston Drenthe from Real Madrid on a season-long loan. Expect Everton to be in the bottom half of the Premier League this season.

Liverpool received a huge blow after losing a key player, Raul Meireles, to Chelsea. Craig Bellamy was a good addition, but his best years may have past him. Meanwhile, getting rid of Christian Poulsen and Joe Cole is a welcome relief. I believe Meireles are one of the main reason for Liverpool’s good string of results during the second half of last season.

Swansea so far has their goalkeeper, Michel Vohm, to thank for their precious two points collected thus far. Vohm has been very impressive in their opening game as well, despite losing 4-0 to Man City. However, they needed to fill its attacking options, a creative midfielder and a striker, and have failed to sign any attackers before the dateline. However, Swansea mange to picked up Fulham defender Rafik Halliche on loan as well as left back Federico Bessone from Leeds, but based on today’s dealings, it’s going to be a long season for the Swansea.

Barreto Heads To Palermo

Paraguay international Edgar Barreto has confirmed he has joined Palermo from Atalanta.

The 27-year-old midfielder announced via Twitter that he has penned a four-year contract with the Sicilian club.

Barreto said: "I am a new Palermo player... I signed at midday (Paraguay time).

"Atalanta, thank you for these past two years!"

Barreto joins compatriot Daniel Martinez at Palermo.

The South American joined Atalanta from Reggina in 2009 and made a total of 33 appearances in his two-year spell with the Bergamaschi.

Roma Seal Simon Kjaer Loan Deal

Roma have signed Simon Kjaer on loan from Wolfsburg, the Serie A confirmed on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old Denmark centre-back underwent a medical last week but his move was only finalised hours before the end of the transfer window.

Kjaer, who returns to Serie A just one year after leaving Palermo, becomes Roma's 14th signing of the summer.

Arsenal Sign Santos & Mertesacker

Arsenal has completed their bid for defenders Andre Santos and Per Mertesacker in a bid to strengthen their backline.

Andre Santos, 28, joins the Gunners from Turkish champions Fenerbahce while Mertesacker joins from Werden Bremen.

The two players will add some much-needed experience to an Arsenal backline which shipped eight goals in their humiliating defeat at Manchester United on Saturday.

A statement read: "Arsenal has confirmed they have agreed terms with Werder Bremen to sign German international defender Per Mertesacker.

"The deal is subject to the completion of formal registration processes."

Manager Arsene Wenger told the club's official website, www.arsenal.com: "Santos is a quality player, with the ability to both defend well and get forward and help with attacks.

"He has experience in the Champions League and for Brazil and has proven he can deliver at the highest level.

"We welcome Santos to the club and look forward to him having a big impact for us."

Mertesacker is relishing the challenge of the Premier League.

He said on Bremen's website, www.werder.de: "I had a great time at Werder, and I owe a lot to the club.

"The move to London is a wish come true, to take another step in my career.

Tottenham Complete Signing Of Scott Parker

Tottenham has completed the signing of Scott Parker from West Ham.

The midfielder has long been courted by Harry Redknapp's side and has now finally sealed his switch to White Hart Lane on the final day of the transfer deadline.

Parker, 30, had been keen to leave the Hammers following the club's relegation the Championship and handed in a transfer request to force through the move.

Fulham Sign Juventus Defender Zdenek Grygera

Fulham has completed the signing of Juventus defender Zdenek Grygera on a one-year deal.

The 31-year-old has been with the Turin giants for the past four seasons and has now penned a deal with the Cottagers, with an option for a further year.

He moves on a free transfer after his contract with Juventus was terminated by mutual consent yesterday.

Grygera faced Fulham in March 2010 when he come off the bench during Fulham's 4-1 Europa League win against Juventus at Craven Cottage, which he is excited to now call home.

"I am delighted to have completed my transfer to Fulham Football Club today," he told the club's official website, www.fulhamfc.com.

"It has always been an ambition for me to play in the Premier League and I am looking forward to an exciting new chapter in my career with Fulham."

Grygera began his career with Czech side FK Svit Zlin in 1997, before moving to Petra Drnovice and Sparta Prague.

The defender, who has made 52 appearances for his country, joined Ajax in 2003 and then Serie A outfit Juventus in 2007.

Everton Sign Real Madrid Winger

Everton has signed Royston Drenthe from Real Madrid, according to Spanish publication AS.

There are currently conflicting reports over whether the deal is a loan switch or for a nominal fee, as the Netherlands international has a single year remaining on his contract.

Drenthe has fallen down the pecking order at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, with Fabio Coentrao signing to offer Marcelo competition on the left flank.

Should the left back cum winger complete his move to Goodison Park, he will join Argentine striker Denis Stracqualursi on Merseyside, making this transfer deadline day somewhat more inspiring than recent ones for Everton fans.

With the pair joining Everton, David Moyes has now signed two more players than he was expected to this summer - and kept his star names to boot.

It is likely that the expected sale of Jermaine Beckford to Leicester City financed both transfers.

Elia Joins Juventus On Four-Year Deal

Dutch international Eljero Elia has joined Italy's Juventus on a four-year contract after two seasons at Hamburg SV, the German club said on Wednesday.

"Elia's transfer to Juventus is complete," Hamburg said on their website.

"The 24-year-old signed a four-year contract according to the Italian club."

Winger Elia joined Hamburg in 2009 from Twente Enschede, playing 52 league matches for the club and scoring seven goals.

Zarate Joins Inter On Loan

Lazio striker Mauro Zarate has completed a loan deal to Inter Milan with a view to a permanent deal next year.

The 24-year-old had been expected to remain with Lazio for this season as they had been reluctant to let the striker go out on-loan.

Lazio paid 20million euros (£17.7m) to purchase the striker from Al-Sadd in 2008 and wanted to recoup their outlay on the Argentine marksman.

But a compromise has now been reached between the two clubs which will see the Nerazzurri pay a loan fee of 2.7million euros (£2.4m).

And, should they decide to sign him on a permanent deal, Inter would have to stump up 15million euros (£13.3m) to conclude the deal.

Arsenal Prepare £25m Bid To Sign Serie A Playmaker

Arsenal is reportedly readying a bid for Napoli playmaker Marek Hamsik as Arsene Wenger looks to find an able replacement for French international Samir Nasri. The Slovakian international has been previously linked with the North London club and now the Gunners boss is ready to make an offer for the 24 year old before the transfer window shuts.

Wenger had been targeting Lille youngster Eden Hazard to fill the spot vacated by Nasri but having snatched South Korean Park Chu-Young from under the Ligue 1 side’s nose it seems hugely unlikely that the French side will be willing to do business with the North London club.

Hamsik has been a huge success in Naples and has become a virtual ever present over the course of his four seasons at the Serie A side and it highly unlikely that boss Walter Mazzarri would consider selling the former Brescia man unless the player himself pushed for an exit.

The Arsenal board appear happy to hand Wenger a sizable transfer budget and will allow him the use of all the money raised from the sales of Nasri, Cesc Fabregas and Gael Clichy, which brought in around £60m and the Emirates Stadium side are ready to offer around £25m for the goal scoring attacking midfielder.

After such a poor start to the season Wenger knows that he must improve his squad if he wants to push to end a six year silverware drought and he also knows that this could be a pivotal season individually and failure could bring an end to his 15 year reign at Arsenal.

It may take some persuading to convince Hamsik to move as he appears settled at Napoli, who he helped secure a Champions League spot for the coming season.

Spurs Blow As Diarra Set For AC Milan Move

AC Milan is closing in on a loan deal for Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra, according to reports in Italy.

Diarra is surplus to requirements at the Bernabeu and has been chased by Tottenham all summer, with Harry Redknapp eager to tie up a permanent deal for the France international.

However, Diarra’s wage demands have been holding up a potential move to White Hart Lane and Milan has now entered the race.

The Rossoneri are keen on a season-long loan deal for the 26-year-old after Mathieu Flamini suffered a serious knee injury, which is likely to rule him out of action for around five months.

Roma Swoop For Miralem Pjanic

Roma have signed Bosnia-Herzegovina international Miralem Pjanic from Lyon, the Serie A side have announced.

Pjanic, 21, has penned a four-year contract and is the latest new face to join Roma, who have already secured the likes of Bojan Krkic, Pablo Osvaldo, Gabriel Heinze and Maarten Stekelenburg this summer.

Pjanic joined Lyon from French rivals Metz in 2008 and became a key player for the club, making 116 appearances and scoring 15 goals in his three-year spell.

Arsenal Smash Transfer Record With £35m Playmaker Bid

Arsenal has made a bid of 40m Euros - approximately £35m - for Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Mario Gotze, according to German publication Kicker.

Arsenal are bidding to strengthen in the final days of the transfer window, and will look to spend the £60m acquired from the sales of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas on Per Mertesacker, Andre Santos, Park Chu-Young, with the remainder earmarked for the 19 year-old Gotze.

However, Borussia Dortmund has reportedly rejected Arsenal's huge offer, which would eclipse their previous transfer record of around £15m spent on Andrei Arshavin.

"We know that Mario is very interesting for teams from Pot 1 [of the UEFA Champions League]," said Dortmund Sporting Director Michael Zorc.

Those of course include Arsenal, but it is difficult to see Arsene Wenger raising his bid beyond the 40m Euros offered already.

Tottenham & Fulham Chasing Sulley Muntari

Tottenham and Fulham are amongst a group of Premier League clubs keen to sign Sulley Muntari from Inter, according to the player’s representative.

The 27-year-old midfielder has a year left to run on his current deal with the Serie A giants but his European representative has revealed he would be keen on a move now, especially to a London outfit.

The former Portsmouth midfielder spent the second half of last season on loan at Sunderland and a return to England could well be on the cards.

"Tottenham and Fulham are several of the Premier League teams that are interested in Muntari,'' Muntari's representative Claudio Mossio told Press Association Sport.

"But right now his destination is not unclear. The situation must be resolved as soon as possible because the transfer market ends tomorrow.

"Muntari wants to play in the Premier League. He really likes that tournament and his family would be very happy in London.''

The Ghana international previously enjoyed a spell under current Tottenham boss during their time together at Portsmouth.

Joe Cole Closing In On Loan At Lille

Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole is close to agreeing a season-long loan deal with French club Lille.

Queens Park Rangers and Tottenham Hotspur was also interested in signing the 29-year-old England international.

Cole moved to Anfield in July 2010 on a four-year deal from Chelsea but made only 11 Premier League starts for the Reds and was sent off on his debut.

Lille is in this season's Champions League after winning their first French league title since 1954.

When Cole signed for Liverpool it was thought to be an astute deal, but he has struggled to recapture his Chelsea form at the Anfield club.

Cole has not even made the bench in Liverpool's first three Premier League games of the season.

Last season he also failed to hold down a place in the team, making only 20 appearances, and 12 in Europe.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has strengthened his midfield over the summer with the additions of Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing.

And it is thought that Liverpool would like to get Cole off their wage bill.

Lille has turned to Cole after being rejected by Monaco's South Korea striker Chu Young Park, who is set to complete a move to Arsenal.

The French champions also failed with a bid for Chelsea's failed with a bid for Chelsea's Yossi Benayoun.

Cole fits the bill for the French club with his Champions League experience as they prepare for the competition.

Spurs Eye Shock Owen Move

Skysports.com understands Tottenham is lining up a shock move for former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves.

Hargreaves is available on a free transfer after being released by United earlier this summer following a series of knee injuries that blighted his time at Old Trafford.

The 30-year-old is determined to find himself a new club in the Premier League and even took to YouTube to prove his fitness in a series of videos.

West Brom and Leicester City have both expressed an interest in signing the England international, but Hargreaves has yet to fix himself up with a new club.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is now weighing up a move for the former Bayern Munich man as he looks to bolster his midfield options.

Redknapp is desperate to reinforce his midfield after seeing his options blighted by a series of injuries to key players.

Brazilian Sandro is recovering from a serious knee injury after undergoing surgery, while Jermaine Jenas and Tom Huddlestone have both been struggling with injuries this term.

Redknapp's options could be further limited by the possible departures of Wilson Palacios and Luka Modric.

Palacios is on the verge of a move to Stoke, while Modric's future remains shrouded in doubt as he looks to secure a move to Chelsea.

Redknapp is thought to be a big fan of Hargreaves and he could decide to offer the 30-year-old a move to Spurs on a short-term basis if he can prove his fitness, as the Canadian-born midfielder would prove to be a bargain if he can stay fit and recapture the form that helped him win 42 caps for England.

Real Madrid Has Given Fernando Gago The Go-Ahead To Join Roma

Real Madrid has granted Fernando Gago permission to hold talks with Roma over a loan move, agent Ernesto Bronzetti has confirmed.

Bronzetti, who has a host of associations at Madrid, is working to secure a transfer for the Argentine midfielder who is apparently not part of Jose Mourinho's plans.

An earlier move to Boca Juniors fell through, leaving Roma with room to manouevre.

And there is optimism an agreement between the clubs can be reached over a loan with a purchase option set at €6 million (£5.3m).

"I have spoken with Real Madrid directors and they have given the transfer the go-ahead," Bronzetti told Tele Radio Stereo.

"I have been asked to assist in this transfer and now Roma look like they are in a position to close a deal.

"Gago and his agent are still in Madrid, and Real Madrid know the only way is a loan.

"There is also an option to buy for €6m."

Gago joined Real Madrid from Boca Juniors in January 2007, but has been struggling to secure regular first-team action in the past two seasons.

Aliaksandr Hleb Set For Wolfsburg Switch

Wolfsburg is closing in on the signing of Barcelona attacker Aliaksandr Hleb, according to reports from Germany.

After struggling to earn regular playing time in Spain, the Belarussian has spent loan spells at Stuttgart and Birmingham City, and, according to Kicker, is now on the verge of returning to Germany to play under Felix Magath. Having agreed to personal terms, he is reportedly in Lower Saxony to undergo a medical check.

With his contract set to expire next summer, Barca is reportedly willing to release Hleb for €1.5 million rather than watch him leave on a free transfer.

The 30-year-old Hleb is no stranger to the Bundesliga, having played at Stuttgart from 2000 to 2005 before his loan spell in Swabia for the 2009-10 season. In April he expressed his desire to return to the Bundesliga, and now he appears to have had his wish granted.

Valencia Secure Ruiz Deal

Valencia has secured the signing of Victor Ruiz from Napoli, just months after the defender joined the Italian club.

Ruiz linked up with Napoli on a long-term contract from Espanyol in the January transfer window, but has now returned to Spain.

He has signed a five-year deal with Valencia and will undergo a medical on Tuesday before being presented as the club's new signing.

Valencia technical secretary Braulio Vazquez believes the acquisition of Ruiz, who helped Spain win the European Under 21 Championship earlier this summer, will prove to be "an important step forward" for Los Che.

He told the club's official website: "[Ruiz is] of the highest level in Europe. He has great technique, positional sense and strength.

"He will help to complement our existing defence and offer something different to our squad.

"He is a player with a big future ahead of him, and will definitely shine in the present.

"We are proud to have him here, and to have reached an agreement for his signature after a difficult negotiation process, because Napoli valued him very highly.

"I think that with Victor on board, we have taken an important step forward."

CSKA Moscow Target Man United Keeper

CSKA Moscow has lined up Manchester United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak as a replacement for Igor Akinfeev.

Current number one Akinfeev could be out for up to six months with a knee injury and he is set for more scans on the problem.

The initial fears, though, are that the injury is serious and CSKA have drawn up a list of possible replacements should Akinfeev - once linked to United before David De Gea joined - miss a significant portion of the season.

Kuszczak is the club's favoured target if Akinfeev is out long-term and United are willing to sanction a deal.

The club has been keen to shift the Polish goalkeeper all summer but have failed to find a buyer. With De Gea the first choice and Anders Lindegaard battling him to be number one, Kuszczak does not appear to have a future at Old Trafford.

Kuszczak, 29, said earlier this summer he needs first team football and he would be given just that if CSKA press ahead with their move.

Michael Bradley Completes Move To Chievo

Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Michael Bradley has completed a move to Serie A side Chievo, his agent announced via Twitter on Tuesday.

"I am happy to report that Michael Bradley has signed with Chievo of the Italian Serie A," agent Ron Waxman said.

Goal.com was the first to report earlier this month that a move to Italy would be in the US international's future in the days leading to the transfer deadline on August 31. Terms of the transfer deal were not disclosed.

Bradley's representative in Italy, Paolo Alberto Faccini, revealed to Goal.com that fellow Italian clubs Napoli and Roma were also interested in the player.

The move represents a fresh start for Bradley, who fell out of favour at Gladbach last year before an unsuccessful loan stint at Aston Villa. After his return to Germany this summer, it was clear Bradley was not in coach Lucien Favre's plans despite being contracted for one more year.

Bradley was also left off of Jurgen Klinsmann's latest squad for the upcoming friendlies against Costa Rica and Belguim. The new USA coach, who replaced Bradley's father following the Gold Cup, has said he will only call up players who consistently get minutes with their club teams.

The 24-year-old New Jersey native began his professional career at 16 in Major League Soccer with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars. He went on to play for Heerenveen in the Netherlands before making his way Gladbach.

Last season Chievo finished in 11th place in Serie A with 47 points. The club begin their new league season at home to newly promoted Novara on September 10, having seen their original opener postponed due to the current Italian players' strike.

Gers Plan Murphy Move

Skysports.com understands Rangers are to push ahead with a move for Arsenal starlet Rhys Murphy following an impressive trial.

The 20-year-old striker linked up with the Glasgow giants at the start of August in the hope of earning a permanent stay.

He has already spent time on trial at Middlesbrough since the 2010/11 campaign came to a close and is keen to put down roots.

Murphy is a product of the renowned Academy system at Emirates Stadium, having been on their books since 2004.

He has caught the eye in the Gunners' youth teams and gained senior experience during a loan spell at Brentford in 2009.

It is understood that Rangers are now preparing to offer him an opportunity to shine in the Scottish Premier League, with Ally McCoist keen to bring the youngster on board.

Heerenveen Snap Up Van la Parra

Heerenveen has completed the signing of Dutch winger Rajiv van la Parra on a free transfer after his contract at French side Caen expired.

The 20-year-old, a product of the Feyenoord youth academy, departed Holland for France in 2008 but failed to make an impact in Ligue 1, featuring mostly off the bench.

Van la Parra's deal at the Stade Michel d'Ornano ran out at the end of last season and Heerenveenhave secured his signature to fill the void left by Roy Beerens, who joined Dutch rivals AZ Alkmaar earlier this summer.

Technical director Johan Hansma told the club's official website: "We are very happy to sign such a talented player as Rajiv at Heerenveen.

"After the departure of Roy Beerens we were looking for a new winger who would fit perfectly with players such as Oussama Assaidi, Luciano Narsingh and Quenten Martinus.

"With Van la Parra we have doubled our options on the wing."