Today's other stories in brief
Spain get back down to business
SPAIN coach Vicente del Bosque has handed Villarreal midfielder Bruno Soriano his first call-up to the national squad for the world champions’ friendly against Mexico in Mexico city next Wednesday.
Del Bosque included the left-sided 26-year-old, who is known as Bruno, and also recalled his club mate Santi Cazorla, an attacking midfielder, and Osasuna defender Nacho Monreal, neither of whom were selected for the World Cup.
Midfielder Andres Iniesta, who scored the dramatic extra-time winner in the final against the Netherlands, is being rested. Injured trio Fernando Torres, Pepe Reina and Raul Albiol will also not travel and midfielder Javi Martinez is on duty with the under-21 side, del Bosque added.
He said the team had to make sure they did not let their triumph in South Africa go to their heads and they should now focus on qualifying for Euro 2012, which begins in Liechtenstein on September 3rd.
Kaka out for up to four months
REAL Madrid midfielder Kaka has undergone an operation on his left knee and could be ruled out for three to four months, the clinic which carried out the surgery said yesterday.
The Spanish club said Kaka had suspected meniscus damage and might need surgery.
He was examined by knee and sports injury specialist Marc Martens in Belgium and Martens’s assistant said that a half-hour arthroscopic operation was carried out.
Chelsea close to Ramires signing
CHELSEA are hoping to complete the signing of Ramires, having agreed an €22 million fee with Benfica for the Brazil midfielder.
Ramires was expected at Stamford Bridge yesterday to undergo a medical and discuss personal terms with the English Premier League champions.
Ramires, who has won 16 caps for Brazil, played at the World Cup in South Africa this summer and sources close to the deal are confident obtaining a work permit would not be a problem.
He joined Benfica from Cruzeiro in May 2009 and a month later he earned his first senior international cap for Brazil.
He played a key part in the Benfica team which lifted the Portuguese title in May for the first time in five years, making 26 appearances and scoring four goals in the process.
The 23-year-old will become the second addition to Carlo Ancelotti’s Premier League winning squad following the arrival of Yossi Benayoun from Liverpool.
Portsmouth get off the hook
PORTSMOUTH will kick off their English Championship campaign at Coventry tomorrow after avoiding liquidation and almost certain oblivion yesterday when the high court dismissed Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs’ appeal against the company voluntary agreement (CVA), which the club’s creditors voted for to take them out of administration in June.
HMRC said it would not appeal against the verdict, allowing Portsmouth the prospect of undertaking long-term rebuilding following nearly two years of turmoil.
Justice Mann offered the following reasons for his ruling: “This case turned on commercial validity and not the football creditors rule.
“This is not the right place to decide whether creditors rules are fair or not.
“There is no way in which any worthwhile solvency can flow into the club other than the CVA.”
Birmingham move on Dembele
BIRMINGHAM City are closing in on the signing of the AZ Alkmaar striker Moussa Dembele in a €6 million deal. The 23-year-old has confirmed Birmingham are “the most concrete option” in terms of his future after his representative met the City manager, Alex McLeish, for talks yesterday.
If the deal goes through, it will take City’s summer spending up to €20 million after the signings of Ben Foster and Nikola Zigic.
GOALKEEPER Marton Fulop has completed his transfer from Sunderland to Ipswich Town and link up with Roy Keane again.
The 27-year-old Hungary international, who finished last season on loan at Manchester City having slipped down the pecking order at the Stadium of Light, moves to Portman Road for an undisclosed fee.
Fulop was signed for then Sunderland manager Keane.
Balotelli's move to city hits snag as too much is ought
MANCHESTER City’s latest attempts to finalise the €30 million signing of Mario Balotelli have stalled once again, with the Italian forward reluctant to lower his salary demands of €215,000 a week.
While City are happy to make Balotelli one of their highest earners, the most powerful spenders in the Premier League believe what he is asking for is exorbitant.
The problems stems largely from the fact City have found it difficult to reach a compromise with the player’s agent, Mina Raiola, who is increasingly becoming a source of frustration at Eastlands.
The transfer has also been complicated because of City’s differences with Internazionale about performance-related add-on fees, and the two clubs will reconvene talks in the coming days.
United's bid for Ozil still on the cards
MANCHESTER United have been given a boost in their bid to land Mesut Ozil, while Hamburg’s Piotr Trochowski continues to be linked with the Old Trafford outfit.
United have been tipped as potential suitors for 21-year-old Germany international Ozil following his impressive World Cup.
Ozil has just 12 months remaining on his Werder Bremen contract and the club’s general manager Klaus Allofs insists they will consider any offers on the table.
Should there be an offer on the table, we would consider it, said Allofs. Everything is still possible at the moment.
Meanwhile, Trochowskis agent has refused to rule out a move to Old Trafford before the transfer window closes. The Poland-born Germany international has slipped down the pecking order at Hamburg and has been tipped to move to the Premier League giants.
