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Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Koumas signs for Wigan in £5.3million deal

Jason Koumas has completed a £5.3million move to Wigan, the club have confirmed.

Koumas had already passed a medical, and the Wales international agreed terms on a four-year contract this morning.

The deal represents a £3million profit for West Brom on a player who cost them £2.25million from Tranmere in 2002.

Koumas has since made 141 appearances for the Baggies, scoring 23 goals, while he netted a further 13 during a season-long loan with Cardiff in 2005-06.

He becomes new Wigan manager Chris Hutchings' fifth signing of the summer.

After taking over from Paul Jewell who quit at the end of last season, Hutchings has brought in Titus Bramble, Mario Melchiot, Antoine Sibierski and Carlo Nash.

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Bellamy seals £7.5million move to West Ham

Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy have confirmed the signing with West Ham United for a club record fee of £7.5million.

Bellamy, agreed a five-year deal at Upton Park after it was made clear he had no future at Anfield following the arrival of Spain international Fernando Torres.

The transfer was agreed on Friday but was delayed over the weekend as Bellamy thrashed out contractual issues with Liverpool.

The Wales captain is West Ham's fourth summer signing and takes manager Alan Curbishley's spending since he arrived at Upton Park in December to nearly £40million.

The deal for Bellamy breaks West Ham's previous transfer record of £7.25million, which the Hammers paid Norwich for Dean Ashton in January 2006.

Bellamy joins midfielders Scott Parker and Julien Faubert plus goalkeeper Richard Wright in signing for the Hammers this summer.

Curbishley had previously targeted Darren Bent and had a £17million offer accepted by Charlton, only for the England striker to reject the Hammers for Tottenham.

Bellamy was not prepared to be a squad player at Liverpool next season, even though he would have been involved in another Champions League campaign.

But he is convinced the Hammers will be competing among the elite before too long.

He said: 'I knew around two weeks ago that there was an opportunity for me to head away from Liverpool, but I had to make sure that any move was the right one for me and not just an off the cuff reaction.

'I had a lot to weigh up, and in the end I decided that West Ham was the best move for me.

'I wanted to make sure that, if I left Liverpool, it would be to a club that is going to be pushing for Europe. I want to play in Europe, it's important to me, and I felt that same drive and ambition here at West Ham.

'Obviously it would be naive of me to say that we are going to qualify for the Champions League next season, but that's one thing we are really going to be pushing for here in the future.

'The club is looking to strengthen what is already a very good squad, and West Ham are renowned for their open and attacking football, so everything is perfect for me.

'I had a great experience at Liverpool and I believe West Ham will benefit this year, because I know I am a better player for it.'

Bellamy joined his new team-mates in training today and links up with Wales international team-mates James Collins and Danny Gabbidon plus former Blackburn colleague Lucas Neill.

The Australian turned down the chance of a move to Liverpool to sign for West Ham in January and Bellamy understands why.

'I supported Liverpool as a boy and would have had the chance to play Champions League football again next season but I needed to look beyond that, in the same way that Lucas Neill did when he came here,' said Bellamy.

'I understood Lucas's position. If he'd joined Liverpool, he would have been a squad player, like I was. Some people don't understand it, but the opportunity to be a senior figure at an ambitious club like West Ham is very attractive.

'I've signed a five-year contract here, and I will be here for the long term. I've moved around a bit in recent years, and now I want to settle.

'I'm 28 later this week and hopefully approaching the prime years of my career. I believe West Ham are going to see the best of me.'

Source: Soccernet.com

With the landing of Bellamy, West Ham United may expecting more attacking power will be contribute by the Wales Captain.

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Rolando Bianchi - Eriksson first signing as Manchester City boss

Italian striker, Rolando Bianchi has set to join Sven-Goran Eriksson's team, Manchester City, after Reggina confirmed they have reached a 'preliminary agreement' for the sale.



The 24-year-old was the fourth top-scorer in Serie A last season with 18 goals and has been courted by several clubs across Europe.

But City appear to be in pole position after Reggina admitted a deal was close. Reggina president Pasquale Foti said: 'We have reached a preliminary agreement with Manchester City for the permanent transfer of Rolando Bianchi to the English club in a 13million euros (£8.8million) transfer deal.

Eriksson first signing for Manchester City is expected to be completed by Wednesday.

Bianchi played a key role as Reggina retained their Serie A status last season - the Calabrian team finished 14th, just one point clear of the drop zone.

Source: Soccernet.com

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Who will be the next big star to join Reds?

After the spending spree to land Owen Hargreaves, Nani and Anderson, who will be the next big star to join Manchester United?

With
Fernando Torres had confirm signed a undisclosed deal with Liverpool, Manchester United will be focus to Land Carlos Tevez from West Ham United.

Argentina striker Carlos Tevez was set to leave West Ham, but will remain in England for the next season.

"Through my backers I have given my word to Mr Ferguson," Tevez is quoted as saying in The People. "They have told him I'll be at Manchester United next season and once I make a promise I don't go back on it.

"There isn't a player who would turn down this opportunity and the negotiations are too far advanced to go back now.

"I have been open and honest with West Ham every step of the way and I hope the fans understand."

If he joins, Tevez will become United's fourth major signing of the summer following the arrivals of Owen Hargreaves, Nani and Anderson.

Source: ManUtd.com

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Reds player reach Copa semis


Manchester United players, Gabriel Heinze and Anderson will both appear in this week's Copa America semi finals after their countries registered storming victories over the weekend.

Although Anderson did not play in Brazil's 6-1 quarter final mauling of Chile on Saturday, he has already shown his worth in the group stage. The 19-year-old shone as a substitute in Brazil's opener against Mexico before being handed his first full international start in the team's second match.

Brazil now face Uruguay on Tuesday (Wed, 01:50 BST, Sky Sports), while Argentina and Mexico will fight for the other final berth a day later (Thu, 01:50 BST, Sky Sports) after Argentina ran out convincing 4-0 winners against Peru on Sunday.

United defender Gabriel Heinze completed a full 90 minutes, while transfer target Carlos Tevez came on at half-time for Diego Melito. With the scores locked at 0-0, Tevez's arrival prompted a second-half blitz that saw goals from Juan Riquelme bookend strikes from Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano.

Source: ManUtd.com

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Tevez deal is close


Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed that United are trying to sign Argentine striker Carlos Tevez, and he hopes to complete a deal in the near future.

Frenzied speculation in the latter half of last week predicted that United would have wrapped up a deal for the West Ham star over the weekend.

No deal has yet been completed, but Sir Alex claims that - as far as he is aware - there are no complications in a deal which is ready to go through.

"We are in negotiations, which has been well documented," he said, speaking at a press conference to unveil new signings Owen Hargreaves and Nani.

"[Club Solicitor] Maurice Watkins has been working on it for a month, maybe more, to make sure the deal is perfectly clear and there are no side issues.

"To be honest I thought it would have all been sorted by the weekend just gone. It must be the Premier League that is holding it up.

"From what David [Gill] and Maurice said everything was ready to go. Unless something's being held back from us, I don't know of anything that's holding it up.

"The essential parts of the deal are all agreed, hopefully it will be finalised soon."

Source: ManUtd.com

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