Bayern Munich confirm Xabi Alonso agreement

GOAL.COM

The experienced midfielder is set to continue his career at the Bundesliga champions after losing his starting berth at Madrid and will undergo a medical imminently

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Bayern Munich have announced they have reached an agreement with Real Madrid for the transfer of Xabi Alonso, with the former Spain international travelling to Germany on Thursday to undergo his medical.

The Bundesliga champions were keen to add an extra midfielder to their squad due to the ongoing injury problems of players such as Javi Martinez, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thiago Alcantara and they see the 32-year-old Alonso as a valuable addition.

The club were linked with a bid for Athletic Bilbao's Ander Iturraspe this week but have now confirmed it is Alonso who is poised to move to the Allianz Arena, subject to medical tests.

"It is correct that we have been in talks with Real Madrid and Xabi Alonso," Bayern executive board member Jan-Christian Dreesen said at a press conference.

"We have basically reached an agreement. The player will arrive in Munich later on Thursday to undergo his medical."

Alonso signed a new contract with Real Madrid until the summer of 2016 earlier this year, but has lost his starting berth at the Santiago Bernabeu side this term as Carlo Ancelotti favours new signing Toni Kroos alongside Luka Modric and James Rodriguez in a three-man midfield.

The midfielder, who announced his decision to retire from Spain duty earlier this week, started his professional career with Real Sociedad and also played for Eibar and Liverpool before joining Madrid in the summer of 2009.

He had since made over 200 official appearances in all competitions for the Bernabeu outfit, but will now continue his career at Bayern.

Bayern are the best in the world, says Benatia

GOAL.COM

The Morocco international, bought in a €30 million deal from Roma, is looking forward to playing in the Bundesliga and feels he has joined a top team

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New Bayern Munich signing Mehdi Benatia believes the Bundesliga champions are arguably the best team in the world.

The 27-year-old defender signed a five-year deal at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday to complete his €26 million deal - potentially rising to €30m - from Roma and he cannot wait to get started at his new team.

"Bayern are the best club in the world. I am really happy to be here," the Morocco international said at a press conference.

"I am looking forward to playing in the Bundesliga, the fans and the packed stadiums. 

"I want to make the team even stronger than it already is and do my utmost to support the team."

Bayern sporting director Matthias Sammer, meanwhile, believes Benatia is exactly what Pep Guardiola's side needed.

"Benatia is strong, fast, very good in the air and quite good with the ball at his feet as well."

The centre-back is Bayern's fifth major signing of the summer transfer window after the previous arrivals of Robert Lewandowski, Juan Bernat, Pepe Reina and Sebastian Rode.

Additionally, Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso is expected to complete his move to Bavaria before the weekend is finished.

Crystal Palace appoint Warnock as manager for second time

DPA ©

Crystal Palace have appointed Neil Warnock as their new manager, for his second spell in charge of the team, the Premier League club said Wednesday. Warnock, who managed the club between 2007 and 2010, has signed a two-year contract. Palace began the new Premier League season without a manager after the departure of Tony Pulis the week before their opening match.

Departed Klose dismisses Germany striker crisis fears as nonsense

DPA ©

Miroslav Klose has dismissed fears of a possible striker crisis at the German national team in the wake of his international retirement as "nonsense." The all-time World Cup top scorer Klose told Die Zeit weekly, in an interview made available ahead of Thursday's publication, that coach Joachim Loew has enough players up front to make up for his departure. "Mario Gomez will return and can take over my place. Mario Goetze and Thomas Mueller will shape the team for years to come with their extraordinary talent," Klose said, naming the debate "nonsense." Fiorentina forward Gomez is seeking a return to the team after missing the World Cup for injury reasons. Mueller scored five goals at the Brazil tournament and his Bayern Munich team-mate Goetze bagged the winner in the final against Argentina after coming on for Klose. The 36-year-old Klose announced recently that he would end his international career. He won 137 caps, scoring a German record 71 goals and becoming World Cup top scorer with 16 goals overall from four tournaments thanks to two goals in Brazil. Klose joins captain Philipp Lahm and defender Per Mertesacker in international retirement. The three will be honoured on September 3 around Germany's friendly with Argentina, but won't play in the game in Dusseldorf for which Loew will announce his squad on Friday. "The prospect of watching from the stand makes me a bit uneasy. It is not easy to get it out of my head," Klose said. Klose added that he is nonetheless "happy" about his decision, and plans to live in Germany (Munich) again when he ends his playing career. Klose's contract at Italy's Lazio is until 2015 but it is not known whether he will retire then.

MAN UTD WILLING TO SEND KAGAWA TO JUVENTUS IN VIDAL SWAP

Manchester United are weighing up using Shinji Kagawa as a makeweight in their deal for Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal.

The Independent says Kagawa, whom manager Louis van Gaal pointedly declared at the weekend had been incapable of operating in a new designated central position, could possibly be used to secure a breakthrough, with the £32m the Turin side are likely to want seemingly unrealistic.

With AC Milan's Nigel de Jong not on United's list, Vidal appears to be Van Gaal's only option, though the Ajax player Daley Blind - another possible 11th-hour target - can also operate in midfield.

Kagawa is also a target for Peter Lim's Valencia this week.

http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/liverpool-make-contact-leicester-target-rod-fanni-4037761#.U_9GRsUhD5E

LIVERPOOL MAKE CONTACT WITH LEICESTER TARGET ROD FANNI

Liverpool have made contact with Olympique Marseille defender Rod Fanni.

RMC says the Reds have sounded out Fanni about a late market move to Anfield.

The 32 year-old is available on a free and was in England earlier this month for talks with Leicester City.

That deal collapsed over personal terms and Fanni again stunnedLiverpool officials over his contract terms. The Reds have told Fanni to drop his demands or they'll look elsewhere.

For the moment, Fanni refuses to budge.

http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/liverpool-make-contact-leicester-target-rod-fanni-4037761#.U_9GRsUhD5E

Brahimi, Hulk shine while Celtic go out again

© Reuters

Porto and Zenit St Petersburg swept into the Champions League group stage, helped by inspired displays from Yacine Brahimi and Hulk, on Tuesday while hapless Celtic were knocked out of the competition for a second time in three weeks. Brahimi, who shone for Algeria in the World Cup, curled in a majestic free kick and set up a second goal for Jackson Martinez to give Porto a 2-0 win over Lille in their playoff round second leg tie. Hulk scored twice, converting a penalty and then barging his way through the Standard Liege midfield, as Zenit beat the Belgians 3-0 despite playing the second half with 10 men. Celtic, beaten 6-1 on aggregate by Legia Warsaw in the third round only to be reprieved because the Polish champions fielded an ineligible player, slunk out for a second time with a 1-0 home defeat against Slovenian champions Maribor. APOEL Nicosia, 4-0 winners over Aalborg, and Belarus champions BATE Borisov, who beat Slovakian counter-parts Slovan Bratislava 3-0, also qualified. Porto went ahead in the 49th minute when new signing Brahimi curled a superb effort over the Lille wall from 25 metres. He followed that up by splitting open the Lille defence and finding Colombia forward Jackson Martinez who swept home a first-time effort in the 69th minute as the twice European champions completed a 3-0 aggregate win. Zenit, also leading 1-0 from the away leg, went ahead on the half hour when Venezuela forward Jose Rondon headed in Domenico Criscito's cross. The Russians, led by former Porto, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur coach Andre Villas-Boas, were still too good, even after Viktor Fayzulin was sent off for a second booking in the 44th minute. Hulk put his Brazilian World Cup misery behind him as he converted a penalty in the 54th minute following a trip on Igor Smolnikov. Four minutes later, Hulk lived up to his name as he won possession in midfield, flicked the ball past one defender, held off another and burst his way past the third with the help of a lucky rebound before firing past Eiji Kawashima. Celtic were well-placed to take advantage of their reprieve after drawing the away leg of their tie 1-1. The Scottish champions were in control until Brazilian striker Marcos Tavares pounced in the 75th minute to send Maribor into the group stage for the first time since 1999/00 BATE, full name Borisov Automobile and Tractor Electronics, went ahead through Mikhail Gordeychuk four minutes before halftime and two late goals from Sergei Kryvets and Vitali Rodionov completed a 4-1 aggregate win. Their Slovakian opponents had Seydouba Soumah sent off in the 79th minute. Cypriot side APOEL, who reached the quarter-finals in 2011/12, outclassed Aalborg as they qualified for the group stage for a third time. Vinicius, Tomas De Vincenti, Stathis Aloneftis and Cillian Sheridan shared the goals as they completed a 5-1 aggregate win over the Danes.