Briefs

Bogdani: Albania coach Arie Haan recalled striker Erjon Bogdani for their World Cup Group One qualifiers against Sweden and Malta after his team failed to impress him in a friendly against Liechtenstein. Haan did not include Bogdani, one of Albania's best strikers who plays for Chievo in the Serie A, in the 2-0 friendly win against Liechtenstein a week ago.

Kewell: Former Liverpool winger Harry Kewell has been recalled to the Australian squad for next month's World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan. Australia play the Uzbeks in Tashkent on Sept. 10 in the opening Group A fixture of the final round of Asian qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup.

Valencia: Valencia have signed Brazil goalkeeper Renan from Internacional on a four-year deal. The 23-year-old helped Brazil win the bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics last week.

Perrin: Former Lyon and Portsmouth manager Alain Perrin will not be the next Nantes coach. "Contacts had been made with Alain Perrin but we could not reach an agreement," general manager Pascal Praud was quoted as saying. Nantes parted company with coach Michel Der Zakarian on Tuesday.

World Cup: Georgia's World Cup home qualifier against Ireland scheduled for Sept. 6 will be played in the German city of Karlsruhe. Last week, FIFA announced that the European Group Eight qualifier would be moved from Tbilisi to a neutral venue due to the tensions in Georgia following a military conflict with Russia.

Grella: Australian midfielder Vince Grella has left Italian Serie A team Torino for Blackburn Rovers. Grella agreed a four-year contract with Blackburn, the English Premier League club said.

Renan: Valencia have signed Brazil goalkeeper Renan from Internacional on a four-year deal. The 23-year-old helped Brazil win the bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics last week.

Medunjanin: Spain's Valladolid have signed Dutch midfielder Haris Medunjanin from AZ Alkmaar on a three-year contract. The 23-year-old, who was born in Bosnia, helped the Netherlands to win the European U-21 championship last year.

Cazorla: Spain winger Santi Cazorla has agreed a contract extension with Villarreal which will tie him to the club for the next six seasons. Spanish media had reported that the 23-year-old was being courted by Real Madrid as a possible replacement for Robinho but Cazorla said: "I appreciate the efforts the club have made and I think it is the best decision for me."

Nelson: Spain's Real Betis have agreed to sign Benfica's Nelson. The Portuguese right-back will put pen to paper on a five-year contract for around six million euros, the Primera Liga club said.

Basketball: Sun Yue has become China's fifth player to join the NBA, the 22-year-old signing a multi-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 6ft-9in guard has played for the Beijing Aoshen Olympians in the second-string American Basketball Association for the past three seasons, and was a second-round pick for the Lakers in the 2007 draft.

Rowing: Rowing New Zealand (RNZ) have announced high performance manager Andrew Matheson is to leave his role to take up a similar post in Australia. Matheson, who has been with RNZ since 2002, rowed for New Zealand in the mid-1990s and won a world championship silver medal with the coxed four.