Copa America 2011: Uruguay 3 - 0 Paraguay

Diego Forlan scored twice as Uruguay clinched a record 15th Copa America title with a comfortable win over Paraguay in Buenos Aires.

The Paraguayans reached the final without winning a single match in normal time but their fortune ran out against a Uruguay side who were vastly superior.

Luis Suarez put la celeste ahead after 12 minutes and Forlan doubled the lead 30 minutes later. Atletico Madrid striker Forlan then added a late third to tie Hector Scarone as Uruguay's leading goalscorer with 31.

Uruguay bossed the first half with the pace and movement of Forlan and Suarez proving particularly troublesome for Paraguay's overworked defence.

Oscar Tabarez's men bristled with intent from the off and could have gone ahead inside two minutes.

Suarez battled his way past two defenders and his scuffed shot was goalbound before Paraguay goalkeeper Justo Villar managed to smother it behind.

From the resulting Forlan corner, Diego Lugano powered a header on goal which was superbly parried by Villar, with the follow-up from Lugano blocked by the arm of Nestor Ortigoza on the line.

Paraguay's defence had been the foundation for their run to the final but it was breached for the first time in six hours after 12 minutes.

The ball fell fortuitously to Suarez in the area and the Liverpool striker turned smartly before clipping in a shot which beat Villar via Dario Veron's leg and the left-hand post.

Paraguay almost conceded again shortly after the half-hour mark when Suarez put Forlan through but Villar made an important block with his legs.

Suarez then turned the hapless Veron and lashed a shot into the side-netting before picking out strike partner Forlan, whose volley was easy for Villar.

Uruguay were dominating all over the field and they got the second goal their opening-half display deserved three minutes before the break when Egidio Arevalo dispossessed Ortigoza before playing in Forlan and his powerful drive easily beat Villar for his first goal in 13 internationals.

Ortigoza almost redeemed himself nine minutes into the second period when his scooped pass found Nelson Haedo Valdez and his volley produced a wonderful save from Fernando Muslera, the keeper tipping the ball onto the bar.

Paraguay wasted another route back into the contest after 62 minutes when midfielder Cristian Riveros failed to connect with Ivan Piris' cross at the near post after attempting an unnecessary back-heel.

The Paraguay rally eventually petered out and Uruguay could have added a third with 16 minutes to go, Edinson Cavani picking out fellow substitute Sebastian Eguren, whose deflected effort was superbly saved by Villar.

But Tabarez's men did have the final say with a wonderful third in the final minute. Cavani swept a cross-field pass to Suarez, whose cushioned header was perfect for Forlan to run on to and slot past the advancing Villar.

PSG Signs Three Players To Spur Title Ambitions

Paris Saint-Germain signed France internationals Jeremy Menez from Roma and Blaise Matuidi from Saint-Etienne plus Serbia defender Milan Bisevac from Valenciennes on Monday in a bid to spur its ambitions in the French league and on the European stage.

Attacking midfielder Menez, holding midfielder Matuidi and center back Bisevac all signed three-year deals. Their moves follow the appointment of former Inter Milan coach Leonardo as sporting director two weeks ago.

Before Leonardo's arrival, PSG had already signed goalkeeper Nicolas Douchez from Rennes and striker Kevin Gameiro from Lorient.

PSG finished in fourth place in the French league last season, missing out on a Champions League playoff spot but qualifying for the Europa League.

Menez signed for a reported fee of €8 million ($11.5 million) plus a €1 million bonus if PSG qualifies for the Champions League while the move for Matuidi was reportedly priced at €7.5 million ($10.8 million) with the fee rising to as much as €10 million based on incentives.

Bisevac was passing a physical when Menez and Matuidi were introduced to the media.

Bisevac has reportedly signed for a €3.5 million fee that could reach €4 million with incentives.

Menez will replace winger Ludovic Giuly whose contract was not renewed by PSG.

"For any player, PSG is a special club,'' Menez said.”When I was little I came to the Parc des Princes to watch Ronaldinho. It was a great thrill for me.''

"PSG wants to build a great team and go as far as possible in the Champions League. That fits my career plans.''

The 24-year-old midfielder has struggled for consistent playing time at Roma under successive coaches Luciano Spalletti, Claudio Ranieri and Vincenzo Montella.

Menez was tipped as a great prospect after signing a professional contract with Sochaux at the age of 16 but since then he has never really fulfilled his potential.

Matuidi will replace Claude Makelele, who retired this summer. Matuidi has been compared throughout his career to the former Real Madrid and Chelsea midfielder.

"Paris will help me be on the front stage for a spot in the France team,'' Matuidi said.”There's Euro 2012 at the end of the season and that means something to me and for my future in the France team.''

Bisevac is a 27-year-old Serbia international and was the cornerstone of the Valenciennes defense last season.

PSG is currently competing with Chelsea to get Palermo playmaker Javier Pastore. The Argentine midfielder would be the first major star to play at PSG since Ronaldinho.

Galatasaray To Make £14m Move For Arsenal Star

Galatasaray will make a £14million summer bid for Arsenal winger Andrey Arshavin as the Gunners risk losing more stars.

The 30-year-old was being prepared to be sold at the start of the transfer window but doubts over captain Cesc Fabregas and midfielder Samir Nasri’s futures put those plans on hold.

The Russian international was a target of Zenit St Petersburg but they did not back up their interest with a sold bid.

Arshavin, despite bagging six goals and 11 assists, did not have his best season and a number of Arsenal fans grew frustrated at his level of performance.

He only has one year left on his current deal and boss Arsene Wenger would let him go as long as he could find a replacement, according to The Times.

The Frenchman has already signed Gervinho from Lille but the Ivorian prefers playing on the right rather than the left, where Arshavin and Nasri tend to play.

A move for Eden Hazard could be tabled, while Wenger may also bid for Southampton youngster Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Valencia playmaker Juan Mata is also on the Gunners radar but the Spaniard does not want to leave the club.

Wigan Keen On Valdez

Skysports.com understands that Wigan are showing a strong interest in Paraguay international Nelson Valdez.

Valdez currently plies his trade with Hercules in Spain but his future appears uncertain following their relegation from the Primera Liga.

Getafe has been linked with a move for the 27-year-old, who has previously expressed a desire to remain in Spain.

A number of other clubs are thought to be tracking his progress and there is understood to be considerable English interest in the striker, but it is the Latics who are the first to step up their pursuit.

Roberto Martinez will be keen to bolster his attacking options before the end of the transfer window after only narrowly avoiding relegation last season, and especially with Charles N'Zogbia set to depart after a £9.5million fee was agreed with Aston Villa.

Aston Villa Agree Fee For Charles N'Zogbia

Aston Villa is set to sign Wigan winger Charles N'Zogbia in a £9.5 million deal.

It is understood a fee for the former Newcastle player has finally been agreed between the two clubs, although no official confirmation of the deal has been made yet.

It is believed a compromise deal has been struck after Wigan rejected Villa's initial offer of £9m.

N'Zogbia, who has a year left on his Wigan deal, is expected to hold talks over personal terms and undergo a medical in the next 24 hours once the deal has been officially rubber-stamped between the clubs.

New Villa manager Alex McLeish has been keen to bring in a new wide player after the sale of Ashley Young and Stewart Downing to Manchester United and Liverpool respectively.

It is a case of second time lucky for Scot McLeish who 12 months ago thought he had signed N'Zogbia when in charge of Birmingham, only for the deal to collapse at the 11th hour after City failed to agree personal terms with the player.

N'Zogbia will be reunited with his former Newcastle team-mate Shay Given, who last week became McLeish's first signing of the summer in a £3.5m move from Manchester City.

The Frenchman is likely to have to wait to join up with Villa's first-team squad as they are currently on a pre-season tour of Hong Kong and he does not have the required work visa.

Fulham Complete £3.5m Deal For Palermo Youngster

Fulham have completed a £3.5million deal for Palermo youngster Pajtim Kasami, according to reports in Italy.

The Swiss midfielder was formerly on Liverpool's books and has caught the eye of new Craven Cottage boss Martin Jol, who has given the green light to the deal.

And Gazzetta dello Sport claims the move has been completed and will be formally announced later this week.

The 19-year-old didn't make a single appearance for Liverpool but has impressed at Palermo over the last year to seemingly seal his move to the Premier League.

Eboue Agrees Terms With Galatasaray

Emmanuel Eboue has agreed personal terms with Galatasaray and is now destined to leave Arsenal in a deal worth around £4m.

Eboue was a cult hero at the Emirates during his time as an Arsenal player but Arsene Wenger is keen on reinvigorating his squad this summer and the Ivorian is a casualty.

The 28-year-old spent six years in north London but never managed to hold down a regular first team place.

His career at Arsenal reached its nadir in 2008 when he was booed by sections of the home support during a match against Wigan.

Wenger later admitted Eboue's poor performance and subsequent barracking from the stands forced him to substitute the hapless star, having brought him on as a sub earlier in the game.

Eboue managed to win the fans over but he is now heading to Turkey after Galatasaray had a bid accepted.

Rangers Seal Deal For Romanian International Dorin Goian

The Rangers manager, Ally McCoist, has confirmed that the club has agreed a fee with Palermo for the defender Dorin Goian.

The Romania international is having a medical in Glasgow and could complete his move to the Scottish champions on Monday afternoon.

McCoist said: "He's in town and we are hopeful that the final bits and pieces can be settled and he can officially become a Rangers player.

"A fee has been agreed and the personal terms are just about agreed as well. It's just one or two other things but we are hopeful it will be done in the next few hours and we can finalize the deal."

Arsenal Ready To Hijack West Brom's Deal For Shot-Stopper

Arsenal could hijack West Brom’s deal to take Birmingham City goalkeeper Ben Foster on a season-long loan.

The 28-year-old only joined the St Andrews club from Manchester United last summer and impressed last season despite seeing his side relegated to the Championship.

But Birmingham are now keen to get the former England stopper off the wage bill and Albion are front runners to sign the stopper on loan with a view to making the deal permanent in 12 months time.

But the Baggies could face late competition from Arsenal, who are prepared splash the cash having seen goalkeeping errors contribute to another season without silverware as the clubs six year trophy drought continued.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is said to be looking for competition for Polish 'keepers Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski, and he is considering a £6m cash offer to snare Foster.

Supporters have grown frustrated with Wenger’s reluctance to bring in a proven stopper in recent seasons and the acquisition of Foster, who called time on his England career last season, could quell unrest.

It would be a major blow to Baggies boss Roy Hodgson, who had lined up by the Birmingham keeper to replace Scott Carson.

Former Liverpool and Leeds star Carson, 25, was sold to the Turkish club Bursaspor earlier this month for an undisclosed fee.

Newcastle In Move For £7m Rated Paris Saint-Germain Striker

Newcastle United and Paris Saint-Germain have agreed a £7m fee for Turkish striker Mevlut Erdinc but it unsure whether the player will agree to leave France.

PSG have been the talk of the tabloids recently following the investment from the Qatar Investment Authority and the French club has been linked with the likes of Adel Taarabt and Javier Pastore.

Meanwhile Newcastle have let their captain Kevin Nolan move to West Ham United and are struggling to keep hold of Jose Enrique, Jona Gutierrez and Alan Smith.

With all that in mind it’s easy to understand why Erdinc – a man who scored nine goals in 34 appearances for the club last season – is eager to remain at the French club.

Having moved to PSG from Ligue 1 side Sochaux for £8m in the summer of 2009, PSG are willing to take a £1m hit on Erdinc despite the Turkish forward scoring 28 goals in 70 appearances for the club.

It may be because Erdinc hasn’t lived up to the expectations of his first season in which he managed to net 19 times in 36 games, and sporting director of PSG Leonardo will be keen to add plenty of attacking flair to the squad with his new found riches.

Newcastle have sent a delegation out to Paris to talk with Erdnic while Alan Pardew and his squad are in the United States on a pre-season tour, but with Erdnic prepared to stay at PSG you would think that Pardew will have a big role to play in the negotiations.

Plenty of players inside the Newcastle squad have already voiced their displeasure at the direction the club has taken in this transfer window, Enrique is the latest with his comments today, but this move may reassure some of the higher profile names in the squad.

Chelsea Plot £15m Bid For France Midfield Ace

Yann M'Vila has emerged as a transfer target for Chelsea, as Andre Villas-Boas seeks a replacement for the injured Michael Essien.

The Ghanaian has been ruled out for up to six months with a knee injury and several potential signings have been mooted to act as cover, including West Hams Scott Parker and Marseilles Lucho Gonzalez.

But Chelsea boss Villas-Boas has now turned his attention to highly-rated Rennes midfielder M'Vila, reports the People.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United have all been credited with an interest in the 21-year-old, but no formal offers have been made to the French club.

Rennes has previously stated the France international was not for sale, but Chelsea will now test the water with a £15 million bid.

Villas-Boas views M'Vila as someone who can immediately slot into the team and is also a good long-term prospect.

Rennes is likely to reject the initial bid for their prized asset and hold out for a bigger fee in the region of £18 million.

Manchester United could emerge as Chelsea’s main competition for the youngster with Sir Alex Ferguson considering forking out for a new midfielder despite publicly insisting that his summer spending looked to be over.

Manchester City's Mario Balotelli Hauled Off In Friendly

Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli was taken off early in a friendly at LA Galaxy after his manager thought he was failing to take the match seriously.

The 20-year-old was clear on goal but, instead of shooting, opted to drag the ball back before backheeling it wide.

"I hope this is a lesson," said boss Roberto Mancini, who denied Balotelli may have thought that he was offside.

"If you [Balotelli] are serious, you can play 90 minutes. If not, you can come and sit by me on the bench."

City earned a third victory on their pre-season tour of the United States, winning the game 7-6 on penalties after it had finished 1-1, but the match was overshadowed by Balotelli's actions, which prompted jeers from the crowd at the Home Depot Center.

Mancini argued with Balotelli as the forward, who prior to being hauled off had scored a penalty, left the pitch.

Balotelli threw his water bottle to the floor after eventually sitting in the dug-out, though he did not appear to watch the second half.

"In football you always need to be professional, always serious and in this moment he wasn't professional," added Mancini.

"He needs to understand his behaviour has to be good in every game - not just in a final or a semi-final but every game.

"He knows he made a mistake. Football should always be serious and if you have a chance to score, you should score.

"Mario is young, I want to help him and that is the end of it. To take him off after 30 minutes is enough punishment. It won't have been easy for him but it has to be a lesson."

When asked what Balotelli said to him as they exchanged words on the side of the pitch, Mancini said: "It was in Italian. In English I would find it difficult to give you the translation. But Mario is streetwise, he knows he was not offside."

It is not the first time that former Inter forward Balotelli has been in trouble with Mancini, who was also his boss at the Serie A club.

The striker inflamed several Manchester United players after he taunted the crowd following City's FA Cup semi-final win last April.

And he was also involved in a prank where he threw a dart at a City youth team player last March.

Balotelli joined City for £24m from Inter last August, but his season was interrupted by injury and suspension. He scored 10 goals in 28 appearances but received 11 yellow cards and was sent off twice.

Dider Deschamps Wants Solution To Lucho Gonzalez Transfer Saga

Olympique de Marseille boss Didier Deschamps wants a solution regarding the future of Lucho Gonzalez, who has been continually linked with a move away from the Ligue 1 club.

The 30-year-old moved to the French side from Porto in 2009 for a fee of €24 million, after four years at Estadio do Dragao, and despite the former River Plate man having two years left on his contract, OM chairman Jean-Claude Dassier confirmed that the player wanted to leave for pastures new.

The Argentine has been associated with moves to the likes of Everton, AC Milan, Roma and Malaga, with Marseille valuing the player at €10m, and Deschamps commented to Canal + that he wants an end to the saga.

"This can't become the series of the summer. As it stands, we're on standby. We have to find a solution. Today, the conditions for him leaving are not sorted."