Higginbotham returns to Stoke:Danny Higginbotham has rejoined Stoke from Sunderland on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee, the club have announced on their website.
The 29-year-old returns to the Britannia Stadium after just one year with the Black Cats following a €3.7 million move in the summer of 2007.
The defender made 22 appearances in the north east and scored three goals and was in the starting line-up as Sunderland beat Tottenham 1-0 at White Hart Lane last month.
Stoke chief executive Tony Scholes told the club's website, stokecityfc.co.uk: "Danny is a player we know very well and we are very happy to have him back here."
Riera joins as Finnan and Vornin leave Reds:Liverpool have signed Spain winger Albert Riera from La Liga side Espanyol for an undisclosed fee as full-back Steve Finnan goes the other way.
The 26-year-old has signed a four-year contract at Anfield after choosing Rafael Benitez's side over a host of other clubs including neighbours Everton.
Riera, who has been given the number 11 shirt at Anfield, has previously played in the Barclays Premier League in the 2005-06 season when he was on loan at Manchester City.
Espanyol signed Finnan on a two-year contract. The 32-year-old Republic of Ireland international, who has spent the last five seasons at Liverpool, will help provide defensive cover at Espanyol following the recent departure of right-back Pablo Zabaleta to Manchester City.
Liverpool striker Andriy Voronin has agreed a one-year loan deal with German side Hertha Berlin.
The Ukraine international signed for Liverpool on a Bosman free transfer last summer and scored six goals in 27 appearances.
John leaves Fulham:NEC Nijmegen have signed Dutch striker Collins John on a free transfer from Fulham, subject to a medical.
The 22-year-old never managed to establish himself at Craven Cottage after arriving in west London in 2004 and was sent out for loan spells at Leicester and Watford.
He previously spent two years in Holland with FC Twente, and has won two international caps.
Spurs confirm Pavlyuchenko, Corluka deals: Tottenham have confirmed to the Stock Exchange that Russia international striker Roman Pavlyuchenko has signed a five-year contract with the club.
The 26-year-old has moved to White Hart Lane from Spartak Moscow for a fee of €17million as Juande Ramos strengthened his attacking options before the close of the transfer window.
Pavlyuchenko, who has been capped 22 times by Russia, began his career with FC Dinamo Stavropol before moving to FC Rotor Volgograd in the top flight in 2000.
He switched to Spartak Moscow in 2003 and topped the goalscoring charts in Russia's Premier League in 2006 and 2007.
Ramos continued the overhaul of his squad with the deadline-day signing of versatile Manchester City defender Vedran Corluka.
The 22-year-old joins Croatia team-mate Luka Modric at White Hart Lane, and leaves City after making 41 appearances since arriving in August 2007.
Corluka, who has been capped 24 times by Croatia, came through the ranks at Dinamo Zagreb and after a season on loan at NK Inter Zapresic, won successive titles with Dinamo in 2006 and 2007.
Corluka told www.tottenhamhotspur.com: "I am delighted to be here because I am coming to a big club with great players, great ambition and also my best friend (Luka Modric) is here so it is a very happy day for me."
Flora joins Liverpool on a free
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has added to the club's Brazilian contingent after youngster Vitor Flora joined the Reds on a free transfer.
The club confirmed on www.liverpoolfc.tvthat a deal has been agreed for the 18-year-old striker who holds an Italian passport and spent last season with Brazilian outfit Botafogo.
Flora joins compatriots Lucas and Fabio Aurelio at Anfield and could make his debut in the reserve-team fixture against Middlesbrough tomorrow if international clearance is received in time.
Algeria's Belhadj joins Pompey on loan
Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has made his first deadline-day signing by taking Algerian international left-back Nadir Belhadj on loan from French club Lens.
The loan will last until the end of the season when Portsmouth will have the option of permanently signing the 26-year-old who has won 23 caps for his country.
Belhadj, who started his career with Lens, but then moved on to Gueugnon, Sedan and Lyon before returning to Lens at the beginning of this year, has activated a clause in his contract allowing him to leave again.
He has scored three goals for his country, and told Pompey's website, www.portsmouthfc.co.uk: "I like the system Portsmouth played at Everton. It will suit me because of my pace.
"And Harry Redknapp is a great manager. Other clubs wanted me but I only wanted to come to Portsmouth once I knew they were chasing me."
Valencia's Gonzalez joins Newcastle in loan deal
Valencia have confirmed the signing of Ignacio "Nacho" Gonzalez, but the Uruguay midfielder has been immediately loaned out to Newcastle United.
Gonzalez has signed a four-year deal at the Mestalla, having spent the last six months on loan at Monaco.
The 26-year-old, who has 21 caps for his country, moves from Uruguayan club Danubio which he joined in 2002.
"Nacho Gonzalez has become a new player at Valencia for the next four seasons," read a statement on the club's website, www.valenciacf.es.
"The Uruguay international, who spent the last few seasons at Danubio and Monaco, will play on loan this season at the English side Newcastle."
Doyle's future remains uncertain
Kevin Doyle admits he will be glad when the transfer window closes, even though he is not sure he will be staying at Reading.
The Republic of Ireland's future has been the subject of conjecture all summer, with the likes of Sunderland and Aston Villa credited with an interest in the striker.
Doyle, who scored his first goals of the season with a hat-trick in the win over Crystal Palace over the weekend, admits all the speculation over his future has left him mentally shattered.
"Will I stay at Reading? I don't know," said Doyle. "I presume so because there's not long to go until the transfer window closes.
"It's difficult to predict, but stranger things have happened, I suppose. I'll be glad when the window shuts because the whole thing is mentally tiring.
"You hear so many different things for three months. You hear that this club might be signing you or this one - loads of different things.
"It's wrecking. Tiring. Whatever happens now I'll be glad when it's over."
Reading are believed to have rejected offers from Villa and Sunderland for Doyle, but the former Cork man is in the dark over the bids.
"I don't know how close I came to leaving. You'll have to ask the club," added Doyle.
"They obviously felt the offers weren't right and I've got two years left on my contract, so there's not much I can do about it.
"I don't know about this hat-trick adding more money to my transfer value. But I've certainly got my reputation back because the last five or six months haven't been great for me."
Newcastle agree Xisco deal
Newcastle are reported to have agreed a deal to sign Deportivo La Coruna striker Xisco.
Deportivo have claimed that they have agreed a £5.7million fee with Newcastle for the Spain Under 21 international.
Xisco has been linked with Aston Villa, but appears Newcastle have stolen a march on their Premier League rivals by luring the 22-year-old to St James' Park.
The highly-rated striker has scored 12 goals in 44 games for Deportivo and he will link up with former team-mate Fabricio Coloccini on Tyneside.
Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan has been looking for a new forward to bolster his attack and he will be hoping to tie up a deal for Xisco before the close of the transfer window on midnight on Monday.
