Motta: Inter midfielder Thiago Motta has undergone a knee operation by reknown specialist Richard Steadman in Colorado in the United States, the club said. Inter did not reveal how much time the Brazilian will be sidelined but the operation was a minor affair to clean up the inside of the knee.

Chievo: Charleroi’s French striker Cyril Thereau is set to sign for Italian Serie A club Chievo, the Belgian side said yesterday. The 27-year-old will sign after his medical in the coming days. Thereau previously played for clubs including Charleroi (2006), Steaua Bucharest (2007) and Anderlecht (2007-2008) before returning to Charleroi in 2008 where he had one year left on his contract.

Celtic: Fraser Forster has joined Celtic on a season-long loan from Newcastle. The 22-year-old goalkeeper is Neil Lennon’s 10th signing of the current transfer window.

Rubin Kazan: Russian champions Rubin Kazan have strengthened their squad by signing Brazilian midfielder Carlos Eduardo from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim on a four-year deal yesterday. The Russian champions will reportedly pay the German club 20 million euro.

Boenisch: Former Germany under-21 player Sebastian Boenisch has received his first call up after opting to play at senior level for the country of his birth, Poland. Defender Boenisch, 23, was named by manager Franciszek Smuda in the White Eagles’ squad for home friendlies against fellow Ukraine on September 4 and Australia on September 7.

Diamanti: West Ham have confirmed the sale of striker Alessandro Diamanti to Italian side Brescia.The Serie A new boys have paid 2.2 million euros for the 27-year-old, who joined the Hammers a year ago from Livorno. Another 300,000 euros will be payable if Brescia secure their top-flight status for another year.

Cycling: Reigning road world champion Cadel Evans will spearhead Australia for this year’s event in Melbourne, officials said yesterday, as veteran Robbie McEwen was left out. Evans, who claimed the coveted rainbow jersey in Belgium last year and briefly led July’s Tour de France before succumbing to injury, was included in a nine-man team along with 2009 Tour Down Under champion Allan Davis. Matthew Hayden and Simon Gerrans were also named alongside Baden Cooke and Stuart O’Grady.

Badminton: The Badminton World Federation announced yesterday that Taiwan will host the next Super Series final, the climax of the season’s 12-leg circuit. It will be played from January 5-9, 2011, and feature the top eight-ranked players in the Super Series standings in men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles and mixed doubles. The finals have been staged in Malaysia for the past two years.

Cricket: Australia yesterday reappointed coach Tim Nielsen until the end of the 2013 Ashes series in England, backing him to reverse a recent slump in fortunes. Cricket Australia said Nielsen had been in charge during a “challenging” time since 2007 after a number of greats, including Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath, retired, and the team lost its top Test ranking. Australia host England for the next Ashes series from November, when they will bid to regain the trophy following defeat in 2009.

Figure Skating: Former Olympic figure skating champion Yevgeny Plushenko has been banned indefinitely by the International Skating Union (ISU) for performing in ice shows without permission. The 27-year-old three-time world and 2006 Olympic champion from Russia pulled out of the world championships in March but then skated in exhibitions without the authorisation of the ISU. He was banned in June and did not appeal within the 21 days allowed so the ISU have confirmed they are upholding their decision.

Tennis: Andy Murray has been seeded fourth for next week’s US Open, where the Briton will be looking to secure his maiden grand slam title. The 23-year-old has been in good form of late, beating Roger Federer in the final of the Toronto Masters and reaching the quarter-finals in Cincinnati last week. World number one Rafael Nadal will be the top seed as the Spaniard looks to win the only grand slam title to have eluded him so far, while five-time champion Federer is the second seed.

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