Pellegrino returns to Anfield

Luiz Felipe Scolari has made his first signing as Chelsea manager by snapping up Portugal midfielder Deco from Barcelona for fee of around 8m.

The 30-year old joins international team-mate Jose Bosingwa who was signed earlier in the summer.

Deco’s arrival could mean the departure of Frank Lampard to Italy.

Former Argentina defender Mauricio Pellegrino has become has been appointed first-team coach at Liverpool.

The 36-year-old follows Sammy Lee, who became Benitez’s assistant manager last month, in returning to Anfield.

Pellegrino made 12 appearances for Liverpool during a short spell in 2005.

Rangers manager Walter Smith says the Ibrox club have no imminent plans to sell Scotland striker Kris Boyd. Boyd, 25, struggled to gain a regular starting place last season.

The Scottish Premier League has announced its biggest television deal, proclaiming it as a significant cash boost for its 12 clubs.

A £125m contract has been agreed with Setanta Sports to continue the rights to live SPL matches for a further four years, until 2014.

Spain midfielder Xavi has been named the best player of Euro 2008. The Barcelona star was a regular member of the tournament-winning side and scored the opener in the semi-final win over Russia.

Xavi, 28, was one of nine Spain players selected among a team of 23 by a panel of Uefa technical experts.

Dutch winger Daniel De Ridder has left Birmingham by mutual consent. The 27-year-old joined Blues last summer from Spanish side Celta Vigo and signed a three-year deal, which has now been cancelled.

Kevin Taylor

Italian star set to sign for Hull City

Cardiff sign two

Liverpool’s Fernando Torres scored the only goal of the game after 33 minutes to secure Euro 2008 for Spain.

Spain dominated the game to seal their first championship victory for 44 years.

According to the Daily Star Italian international Christian Vieri will quit Serie A to sign a £10,000 per week deal with Premier League new boys Hull City.

Cardiff have signed Scotland striker Ross McCormack from Motherwell and defender Darren Dennehy from Everton.

Kevin Taylor

McGregor signs new deal at Rangers

Transfer Round-Up

Emmanuel Adebayor has ended speculation about his immediate future by announcing he is staying at Arsenal, and then in a separate inteview said that AC Milan’s offer was good and he it should all be sorted out by next week.The Togo striker, who scored 30 goals in 48 games last season, has been a target for both AC Milan and Barcelona.

Scotland goalkeeper Allan McGregor has signed a new five-year contract with Rangers following speculation about his future with the Glasgow club.

Tottenham have agreed a deal with PSV Eindhoven to sign Brazilian goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, subject to personal terms, a medical and a work permit.  

Xavi’s opening goal in the Euro 2008 semifinal between Spain and Russia was the 500th goal in the history of the European Championships.

Sheffield Wednesday have signed former Burnley midfielder James O’Connor on a three-year deal. The 28-year-old left the Clarets at the end of last season despite being offered a new contract.

Bristol City have sealed the signing of Welsh international Gavin Williams from Ipswich Town for an undisclosed fee.

Southampton have signed midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin from French club Strasbourg on a four-year contract.

Leyton Orient’s new signing Ryan Jarvis hopes he will be able to quickly make an impact at Brisbane Road. The 21-year-old striker returns to Orient for a second spell after scoring six goals in 14 games during the 2006/07 season.

Turkey’s Arda Turan has ruled out a move to  Newcastle and is set to move to Italy, where Juventus and AC Milan lead the chase to land him.

Newcastle have beaten off Arsenal, Everton and Portsmouth to win the race for Plymouth starlet Aaron Spear. The 15-year-old striker is regarded as one of the country’s hottest young properties after coming through the Argyle ranks.

Norwich boss Glenn Roeder has swooped for 29-year-old centre-back defender Nikolce Noveski of Macedonia in a £1m deal.

Liga de Quito get one hand on the Copa Libertadores

Lippi re-appointed to replace Donadoni

Norwich City sign Wes Hoolahan

Spain produced a superb display to cruise past Russia and set up a Euro 2008 final against Germany on Sunday.

Xavi turned home Andres Iniesta’s cross after 50 minutes and substitute Daniel Guiza converted a superb pass from Fabregas with 17 minutes left. David Silva scored the third after 82 minutes from another Fabregas pass.

Fabregas was the driving force behind the win after coming on as substitute for injured David Villa, who will now miss the final clash with Germany in Vienna.

Ecuador’s Liga de Quito edged one step closer to clinching its first ever Copa Libertadores championship on Wednesday, topping Brazilian club Fluminense 4-2 at home in the first leg of the finals.

Playing in front of 43,000 at an altitude of 2,800 metres above sea Liga took the lead through Claudio Bieler after just two minutes. Fluminense equalised in the 11th minute with a free kick by Dario Conca.

Joffre Guerron scored Liga’s second goal in the 28th minute and Jairo Campos knocked in the third goal in the 33rd minute before Patricio Urrutia sealed the win in the 45th minute. Fluminense’s Thiago Neves’ grabbed a 51st-minute consolation goal for the Brazilian club.

The two teams, both debuting in the Libertadores finals will meet again for the deciding final leg at Rio de Janeiro on July 2.
Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi has been re-appointed after Roberto Donadoni’s contract was not extended. Donadoni left after Italy went out of Euro 2008 when they lost to Spain on penalties in the quarter-final.

Norwich City have signed Blackpool midfielder Wes Hoolahan in a deal worth £250,000, with Canaries goalkeeper Matt Gilks moving in the other direction. Republic of Ireland international left-winger Hoolahan, 26, joined Blackpool from Livingston in 2006.

Kevin Taylor

Scunthorpe’s Paterson joins Burnley

Stearman joins Wolves

Despite being on top for most of the game, Turkey bowed out of Euro 2008 after being beaten 3-2 by Germany.

Turkey took the lead through Ugur Boral on 22 minutes, but the German’s soon got back into the game through Bastian Schweisteiger on 27 minutes.

The German’s took the lead in the 79th minute through Miroslav Klose, but it looked like Semih Senturk had once again taken the game to extra-time when he scored in the 86th minute, but Philip Lam had other ideas and he smashed home the win in injury time to send the 1996 winners through to the final where they will face Spain or Germany who play tomorrow (Thursday).

Burnley have completed the club record signing of striker Martin Paterson from Scunthorpe for an initial fee of £1m, which could rise to £1.3m.

The 21-year-old Northern Ireland international has signed a four-year deal with the Clarets.

Wolves have signed defender Richard Stearman from Leicester City for an undisclosed fee. The 20-year-old has agreed a four-year contract.

Kevin Taylor

Liverpool start work on new stadium

Liverpool reject Crouch bid

Shrewsbury break club transfer record

Inverness sign Barrowman

Turkey face the prospect of having just 13 outfield players available for their Euro 2008 semi-clash.

The Turks were without six players when they beat Croatia 3-1 in a penalty shoot-out in the quarter-finals Friday, and lost a further three - Tuncay Sanli, Arda Turan and Emre Asik - to suspension after picking up yellow cards during the match at Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna.

Coach Terim said he may have to field third-choice keeper Tolgan Zengin because of the injury crisis and Tumer Metin might be able to play the last 30 minutes of the match despite suffering from a groin strain.

Liverpool have begun preliminary work on their new £350m stadium in Stanley Park. Planning permission was granted last month.

Liverpool have rejected a bid believed to have been in the region of £9m for striker Peter Crouch from Portsmouth.

Shrewsbury Town have broken their club transfer record by paying £170,000 for Nottingham Forest striker Grant Holt.

Inverness have signed out-of-contract striker Andy Barrowman from Ross County. The 23-year-old hit 29 goals to help County secure the Second Division championship last season.

Hiddink masterminds Russian victory

Ince lands Blackburn job

Motherwell honour O’Donnell

Mexico and US win in World Cup Qualifiers

Spain reached the last four of Euro 2008 after a penalty shoot-out victory over world champions Italy at the Ernst-Happel Stadium.

Iker Casillas saved spot-kicks from Daniele De Rossi and Antonio Di Natale after a goalless match before Cesc Fabregas slid the winning penalty past Gianluigi Buffon.

Luis Aragones’ men are the only team in the last four to have won all of their games in the tournament and now take on surprise package Russia on Thursday in Vienna.

Dmitri Torbinski and Andrei Arshavin scored in the second half of extra time as Russia powered into the semi-finals of Euro 2008 with a deserved victory over Holland in Basle.

Ruud van Nistelrooy had taken the match into the added period, cancelling out Roman Pavlyuchenko’s 56th-minute opener with a stooping header four minutes before the end of normal time.

But Russia’s energy levels proved decisive and after Torbinski had poked home a finish in the 112th minute, the lively Arshavin made Russia’s qualification safe with a third four minutes later.

Russia’s Dutch coach Guus Hiddink risks being public enemy number one in his homeland after pulling off his latest masterstroke to eliminate the team who were tournament favourites after emphatic wins over continental heavyweights Italy and France in the ‘Group of Death’.

Paul Ince became Blackburn Rovers manager over the weekend despite not holding a Uefa Pro Licence. Ince will be given two years to gain the licence.

Motherwell will further honour late captain Phil O’Donnell in a home match against Villarreal on 2 August. The main stand at Fir Park will be named after O’Donnell before kick-off and money will go to an educational trust for his four children. O’Donnell, 35, collapsed and died of heart failure during a match against Dundee United on 29 December.

In their last game before Sven-Goran Erikkson takes over Mexico slaughtered Belize 7-0 with Arce and Echavarria scoring a pair each.

USA completed an easy two legged win over Barbados with a 1-0 in Barbados to set up at 9-0 aggreagate win.

Kevin Taylor

Former Sunderland ‘keeper found dead

Pompey sign Little from Reading

Transfer Embargo placed on Chester City

Argentinian set to stay at St Mirren for another year.

Turkey left it late again last night when they equalised in injury time of extra time and the won a dramatic penalty-shoot out at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium to book their place in the Euro 2008 semi-final against Germany in Basel.

Turkey won in even more stunning circumstances than against Czech Republic in their final group game, having looked dead and buried after Croatia’s Ivan Klasnic had broken 119 minutes of goalless action, but there was more to come in a remarkable finale when Semih Senturk rifled into the top corner to force penalties after a long ball from ‘keeper Rustu.

After Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic went wide with their spot-kicks, Rustu saved from Mladen Petric to make up for earlier mistake in the build up to Croatia’s goal.

Former Bristol Rovers and Sunderland goalkeeper Tim Carter has been found dead on a Manchester street.

The 40-year-old had been reported missing from his Durham City home in the early hours of Thursday by a member of his family and was discovered in Stretford shortly after noon that day.

He played 50 games for Sunderland between 1987 and 1992 and returned to the club as goalkeeping coach. He was capped three times with England’s youth squad in 1985 and made his debut for Bristol Rovers when 18, he also appeared for Newport, Carlisle, Birmingham, Hartlepool, Milwall, Blackpool and Oxford befor hanging up his gloves at Halifax in 1999 and going into coaching.

Portsmouth have signed winger Glen Little from Championship side Reading on a one-year deal.

The Football League has placed a transfer embargo on Chester City for failing to pay some players’ wages.

St Mirren have secured the services of Franco Miranda for next season after agreeing a new loan deal with Argentine outfit Club Atletico Internacional.

Kevin Taylor

Manager merry-go round

City to play at Oakwell

Aghahowa makes Wigan exit

Suazo grabs double as Chile win

Germany booked their place in the semi-finals of Euro 2008 by beating Portugal 3-2 in Basel last night.

Goals from Schweinsteiger and Klose put the Germans two up before Nuno Gomes pulled one back in the 40th minute. Ballack restored the Germans two goal cushion just past the hour mark before substitute Postiga scored in injury time but there was to be no grand finale for Portugal and Scolari ended his five-reign in disappointing fashion. Germany will now play either Croatia or Turkey in the semi-final next Wednesday.

Former England boss Steve McLaren has been appointed manager of Dutch side FC Twente, while former Southampton boss Nigel Pearson has been appointed as new boss of Leicester City, he becomes the sixth boss during chairman Milan Mandaric’s 16-month reign. Blackburn are also expected to name their manager soon with Paul Ince and Michael Laudrup amongst the names mentioned.

Manchester City’s first qualifying round tie in the UEFA Cup will be staged at Oakwell, the home of Barnsley.

Wigan striker Julius Aghahowa has agreed a three-year deal with Turkish club Kayserispor. The 26-year-old Nigerian who joined from leaves the JJB Stadium after 18 months in which he failed to score for the Latics in 23 appearances.

Striker Humberto Suazo scored twice, including a stoppage-time winner, to give Chile a 3-2 away win over Venezuela in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday.

Kevin Taylor

Spain keep unbeaten record

Riise signs for Roma

Coventry sign Westwood from Carlisle

Nasri signs for Arsenal

Russia are still on for a unique double as they try to add Euro 2008 to the Eurovision song contest they won recently. Tonight they beat Sweden 2-0 to set up a quarter-final with Holland on Saturday.

Spain kept their 100% record despite changing most of the team after beating Greece 2-1 despite Greece taking the lead. Spain will now face Italy in the quarter-finals.

Italian Serie A club AS Roma have signed Liverpool defender John Arne Riise for £4m. According to Roma’s website, the 27-year-old has signed a four-year deal. Xabi Alonso could follow him to Italy shortly.

Coventry City have signed Carlisle United goalkeeper Keiren Westwood on a three-year deal for an initial fee of £500,000, which could rise to £750,000.

Twenty-year-old Samir Nasri, who has been dubbed the new Zinedine Zidane, has reportedly agreed a four-year contract with Arsenal and will join after Euro 2008.

Kevin Taylor