Sampdoria and Switzerland defender Gaetano Berardi left the Serie A to join Leeds United for an undisclosed transfer fee.
Berardi, 25, agreed a two-year deal which will be completed once the Championship club gets an international clearance.
Berardi, a wing-back, joined Sampdoria from Brescia in January 2012 but made just five appearances last term.
He made his senior Swiss debut in August 2011, but was not included in their squad for the recent World Cup.
Sunderland to pay £14m for Borini
Sunderland had their £14m offer for striker Fabio Borini accepted by Premier League rivals Liverpool, yesterday.
Borini, 23, spent last season on loan at the Black Cats and helped them avoid relegation.
Despite the development, Borini started for Liverpool on Saturday in a friendly at Preston.
“It’s an agreement between the clubs but nothing agreed with the player as of yet,” Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was quoted as saying.
Borini scored 10 goals during his stint at the Stadium of Light and picked up the club’s young player of the year award.
Riquelme quits Boca Juniors
Former Argentina playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme has failed to agree a new deal with Boca Juniors and is returning to his first club Argentinos Juniors in the second division.
“Revolution has come to La Paternal,” Argentinos Juniors said of the 36-year-old’s official unveiling with coach Claudio Borghi thrilled to get the talented player for the fight to earn promotion straight back to the Argentine first division.
Former Barcelona midfielder Riquelme rose through the junior ranks at Argentinos, noted for a youth scheme that also produced the likes of Fernando Redondo and Esteban Cambiasso, but made his first division debut at 18 with Boca, who signed him in 1996.
Footballer sorry for plane selfie
A Premier League footballer has apologised for posting a selfie on Twitter showing him grinning as he flew to New Zealand.
Super fans John Adler, 63, and Liam Sweeney, 28, were killed while making the same journey on doomed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 to see Newcastle play in pre-season.
Newcastle’s Haris Vuckic posted a tweet, which was later deleted, showing him and defender Paul Dummett on board a plane, with the tag: “New Zealand!! Here we come!! @PaulDummett preseason!! SleepTime”
After removing the message, the 21-year-old Slovenian tweeted: “My apologies if anyone was offended by my photo from the plane. No offence was intended.”
Davies close to Tottenham move
Swansea full-back Ben Davies is set to undergo a medical with Tottenham, reports said yesterday.
Davies has been at the centre of an apparent transfer tug-of-war between Spurs and Liverpool, with both clubs seeing the 21-year-old as a long-term solution to their problems at left-back.
The Wales defender was expected to choose Champions League football at Anfield and a reunion with former Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers but Tottenham have moved quickly since having a bid accepted last week.
Both Swansea and Spurs are currently on a pre-season tour in America, which has been to Tottenham’s advantage in conducting negotiations.
Gourcuff named new Algeria coach
Frenchman Christian Gourcuff has been named the new coach of Algeria, replacing Vahid Halilhodzic who took them to the second round of the World Cup in Brazil last month.
Gourcuff had long been earmarked to take over after Brazil but was only formally confirmed after a meeting of the Algerian Football Federation leadership in Algiers on Saturday.
The 59-year-old Frenchman will start the job on August 1 and has been given a contract until the end of the next World Cup in Russia, said a federation statement.
Gourcuff was last coach of Lorient, leaving the job in May at the end of the Ligue 1 season.
He has also coached at Le Mans and Stade Rennes and had a one-year spell in Saudi Arabia.
Commons doubtful for Reykjavik match
Celtic hope Kris Commons will be fit for tomorrow’s Champions League qualifier with KR Reykjavik after limping off against Dynamo Dresden on Saturday.
Striker Commons, 30, scored in the 1-1 friendly draw at the Glucksgas Stadium before injuring his thigh.
Ronny Deila’s Hoops take a 1-0 lead into their home leg against Champions League second qualifying round opponents KR.
The match is being played at Murrayfield, which usually hosts Scotland and Edinburgh rugby matches, as Celtic Park is staging the opening ceremony of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games on Wednesday evening.