Bacary Sagna insists money was not his motivation despite giving up a regular start at Arsenal to fight for a place at Manchester City.
The 31-year-old left Arsenal when his contract expired at the end of last season and signed for City on a free transfer.
Sagna said: “I needed a change but it’s not about the money. Can you find one player who stayed six years on the same contract? That’s what I did at Arsenal.”
Sagna joined the Gunners from Auxerre in 2007 and admitted his departure was emotional.
After leaving, with reports suggesting the move will net him a pay rise in the region of £60,000 per week, an element of the Arsenal fanbase has turned on him.
Burnley bring in defender Ward
Promoted Burnley have bought Ireland defender Stephen Ward from Championship side Wolves, the Premier League club announced.
The 28-year-old, who played for his country at the 2012 European Championship, signed a three-year contract after moving to Turf Moor for an undisclosed fee.
“I’ve had eight years at Wolves and I was on loan at Brighton last year but to start a new chapter in my career is great,” Ward said.
“I don’t think I could have picked a better place than Turf Moor and obviously to come to the Premier League is a massive pull as well.”
Burnley host Chelsea in their opening league game of the season tomorrow.
Everton suffer Barkley injury blow
Everton have been dealt a major blow on the eve of the Premier League season with England midfielder Ross Barkley facing up to six weeks out with a leg injury suffered in training.
The 20-year-old will undergo scans to determine the full extent of the injury which forced him to leave the club’s training ground in a brace on Friday, reports said.
If the injury is as serious as first feared Barkley could miss England’s 2016 European Championship qualifiers against Switzerland, San Marino and Estonia.
Barkley signed a new four-year contract at Goodison Park in July.
Keseru breaks record with six-goal blast
Claudio Keseru became the first Steaua Bucharest player to score six goals in a competitive match during the 6-0 Romanian league rout of third-bottom Pandurii Targu-Jiu late Friday.
The striker, who netted on his international debut when Romania beat Andorra 4-0 in a World Cup qualifier in October, eclipsed Steaua coach Constantin Galca who hit five goals in a 5-0 win over Brasov in September 1994.
Keseru, 27, struck three times for the 1986 European champions in the first half, including a penalty, before adding three more after the interval.
Adriano linked with Catania move
Former Brazil and Inter great Adriano is being mentioned with a move back to the Italian league as reports yesterday said he would be interested in joining Catania in Serie B this summer.
Adriano, 32, also played for Roma and Fiorentina in Italy but his career took a plunge following problems with depression and alcohol after returning to Brazil.
He last played for Atletico Paranaense but has been without a club since April now.
Asked about the interest from Catania, Adriano said: “Why not? It’s a good team and the only thing I care about is playing football.
“I do not look at the division, but where I can play. I’d really like another chance in Italy, truly.”
Drogba gets no.11 Chelsea shirt back
Didier Drogba praised an Oscar performance when the returning Chelsea great was handed the no.11 shirt he made famous during his first spell in London.
Drogba displaces the Brazil international who instead took the no.8 jersey vacated by Frank Lampard after the London club re-leased their squad numbers for the new season.
“I am very pleased to be able to return to the no.11 shirt and I am very grateful to Oscar for allowing me to make this change,” the influential Ivorian said.
Drogba wore the no.15 during pre-season, the shirt he originally had when he first signed for Chel-sea from Marseille in 2004.
Delay in Queiroz contract renewal
The delay over Carlos Queiroz’s contract renewal with Iran is all down to the country’s soccer association head Ali Kafashian, the Portuguese coach said.
Queiroz had said he was stepping down after Iran’s group stage exit at the World Cup before backtracking and saying he would stay with Team Melli and sign a new contract in July.
The delay on getting the former Portugal and Real Madrid manager’s signature on the contract, believed to be for four years, has made fans edgy with preparations still to be finalised before the Asian Cup in January.
Reports said Kafashian would send Queiroz a plane ticket once he had agreed to the terms, while the coach offered a different understanding of events.
“It depends on Kafashian’s decision. I’ll fly to Iran whenever he wants me back. It’s not in my hands to set the date for my return to Iran, I can’t tell you that,” Queiroz said.