Football news

Marseille are set to sign defender Jeremy Morel from Ligue 1 rivals Lorient. The 27-year-old – who would be the second player from the club to sign for Marseille with Morgan Amalfitano having joined earlier this month – will sign a four-year contract for €2.5 million.

Morel has made over 200 appearances for Lorient, having come though the youth system with the Brittany club.

He will be the third player to quit Lorient since the end of the season with, aside from Amalfitano, leading striker Kevin Gameiro having been sold to Paris SG for a reported fee of €11 million.

Aguero not joining Juve – Maradona

Sergio Aguero’s father-in-law, Diego Maradona, told reporters in Argentina that the Atletico Madrid striker will not join Juventus next season. Aguero is one of the main transfer targets for Juventus.

“He will remain in Madrid, whether it’s Atletico or Real,” Mara-dona said.

“The fans love him in Spain and will continue to do so. The Mara-dona family will be grateful to Spain for the rest of our lives.”

Juventus, who won’t play in Europe next season, looked favourites to sign Aguero this summer but it seems that Real Madrid now have an advantage after putting forward a €30m offer that city rivals Atletico are reportedly likely to accept.

Grafite joins Dubai’s Al Ahli

Brazilian striker Grafite has left Wolfsburg to join Al Ahli on a two-year contract. The 32-year-old, who was the top scorer in Wolfsburg’s 2009 Bundesliga title success, revealed the offer from the Dubai-based club had been too good to refuse so late in his career.

“At my age it is time to think of my family, which is close to my heart, and discover something new,” he told Wolfsburg’s official website.

“I want to take a step forward and also prepare my family particularly well for my life after football.”

Grafite was named Footballer of the Year when the Wolves won the 2009 Bundesliga title.

Welbeck expects United chance

Danny Welbeck has revealed Alex Ferguson has promised he will be given the chance to prove he can become a Manchester United regular next season.

The 20-year-old will return to United after England’s Under-21 Championship campaign with an assurance he will be able to show how much he has improved.

“The manager said I’ll get decent opportunities and hopefully I’ll take them and progress from there,” said Welbeck, who admitted he would be forced to consider moving on if he failed to make it into Ferguson’s first-team plans.

“It gets to the stage where you have to decide on your future but I’m still only 20 and looking forward to my opportunity.”

Hernandez scores Mexico winner

Second-half goals from Aldo de Nigris and Javier Hernandez lifted Mexico to a 2-1 victory over Guatemala and into the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Second-half substitute De Nigris grabbed an equaliser for defending champions Mexico after Carlos Ruiz’s fifth-minute strike put Guatemala ahead.

Hernandez scored the winner in the 65th minute as Mexico ad-vanced to a semi-final clash against Honduras, who won 4-2 on penalties against Costa Rica after a 1-1 draw.

Honduras advanced in the first game of a double-header at New Meadowlands Stadium that drew a largely pro-Mexican sellout crowd of 78,807.

Rangers miss out on Hemed

Rangers have failed in their bid to sign Israel striker Tomer Hemed, according to the player’s agent.

Gers boss Ally McCoist said the Scottish champions had offered the 24-year-old a contract after holding discussions with him.

McCoist had hoped to confirm Hemed, the top scorer in the Israeli league last season, as his first signing since taking charge.

However, the player’s agent Max Meltzer announced he had instead opted to join Spanish club Real Mallorca.

“Rangers are a fantastic club and Tomer knows that so it was a very difficult decision for him. However, in the end, he decided to pursue the opportunity presented to him from Spain,” Meltzer said.

Argentine giants River face drop

River Plate face the drop after Saturday’s home loss to Lanus which ensured the 33-times champions must negotiate a relegation play-off to avoid demotion for the first time in their history.

The “millonarios” have, despite that nickname, fallen on hard times. Their fate was sealed by the fact that they came bottom at the end of 2008 and then followed up with two 13th-place finishes.

In Argentina, who fills the relegation places is decided by the average points taken over the past three seasons and that left them staring at the drop unless they can now see off Cordoba-based Belgrano over two legs.