Football news

Roma have signed Nicolas Burdisso from Inter for eight million euros, the capital-based club said yesterday.

The 29-year-old had a highly-successful loan spell at Roma last season and earlier this week turned down an offer from Juventus.

Roma will pay the fee over three seasons while Burdisso will earn €4.5 million a year, the club said.

Burdisso was part of the Argentina squad that reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup in South Africa.

His younger brother Guillermo, 22, has already joined Roma on loan from Rosario Central, with an option on a permanent transfer at the end of the season.

Agbonlahor issues Villa pledge

Gabriel Agbonlahor has given Aston Villa a massive boost by declaring he wants to remain with the midlands club for the rest of his career.

Villa Academy product Agbonlahor is the club’s longest-serving first-team player even though he is just 23. And the England striker and local-born player has spelt out his willingness to stay at Villa on a long-term basis.

Agbonlahor said: “I saw in the programme stats the other day that I’m the longest-serving player.

“I’m a local lad and you look at people like Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.

“They don’t want to leave their clubs – and it’s the same with me. Being from the area, I’ve got no reason to ever leave.”

No Blues move for N’Zogbia

Birmingham have confirmed the breakdown of transfer talks with Wigan winger Charles N’Zogbia.

Blues had agreed a club-record fee to sign the France international, but they failed to reach agreement over his personal terms after a last-minute hitch.

Manager Alex McLeish told bcfc.com: “We did everything that was asked of us and then the goalposts were moved at the last minute.”

N’Zogbia has been linked with a move away from the DW Stadium all summer.

Juve won’t tolerate Balotelli abuse

Juventus chief executive Jean-Claude Blanc has insisted the club will not stand for any racist abuse of Mario Balotelli when the Italian striker comes to Turin with Manchester City.

The clubs will meet in Europa League Group A and Juventus will be carefully watched by UEFA after they were given a one-match fans ban last year after supporters racially abused the former Inter player during a Serie A match.

Blanc said Balotelli’s return would offer fans the chance to prove they had changed.

Blanc said: “Supporting your team is to support your team, and not to make remarks of a racist nature toward other players. We will be extremely demanding and intransigent about this.”

Redknapp blast Sevilla’s demands

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp claims his bid to sign Luis Fabiano from Sevilla could be scuppered because the Spanish club are asking for “crazy money” for the Brazil forward.

Redknapp confirmed that Spurs had asked Sevilla if they would be willing to sell Fabiano, 29, but the Premier League club have been discouraged by the £25 million (€30.4 million) asking price.

“I think the chairman’s enquired,” Redknapp said. “He’s a player that I like but I think they’re talking crazy money for him, for a player that age.

“One year left on his contract, I think he’s got.

“In excess of 24 million pounds or 25 million pounds, the figures don’t stack up. That wouldn’t be a goer, not for that sort of money.”

Van Gaal welcomes Ribery ban

Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal said Franck Ribery’s three-match ban for the France team is good news for the German giants.

Ribery is banned for both of France’s Euro 2012 qualifiers against Belarus on September 3, Bosnia-Herzegovina on September 7 and Romania on October 9, which means he is free to focus on his fitness and train at Bayern.

Ribery was suspended by the French Football Federation for three games on August 17 for his role in the France team’s strike at the World Cup after Nicolas Anelka was sent home.

“It’s fantastic for us,” joked Van Gaal on the Bild website.

“He will be able to continue his preparations and train hard. It’s all very good for Franck.”

With Bayern’s Germany players away with their national teams, Ribery will train with the reserves in Munich and work on his fitness.

Benjani joins Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn Rovers confirmed the signing of Zimbabwean striker Benjani Mwaruwari on a one-year contract, following his release by Manchester City at the end of last season.

Sam Allardyce’s side have the option to extend Benjani’s contract by a further year after signing him on a free transfer.

“We are trying to sign him on a contract because of his wealth of experience,” said Allardyce.

“He has trained with us a few days. He has shown us that we think he will be OK to play for us in the Premier League. So we are trying to sort something out.”