Torino winger Alessio Cerci has denied sending out a tweet that confirmed his transfer to Atletico Madrid.
He has been linked with a move to Atletico this summer and a tweet from his account on Monday evening announced the deal was done. However, the tweet was deleted from his account and the player has since insisted he did not send the message.
“Someone hacked into my Twitter account and wrote a message which was false,” Cerci said.
“I have received so many calls asking me what I had done and I didn’t know what was going on.
“I did not write that message... and I didn’t cancel it either.”
Unpaid wages
Croatian striker Leon Benko has reported Chinese Super League club Dalian Aerbin to FIFA after claiming they did not pay him for three months.
The 30-year-old international said he would not return to the relegation-threatened side and was instead looking for a new team after his ill-fated six-month stay in northeast China.
“I don’t have any obligations towards Dalian Aerbin. There is a FIFA law that says if the player doesn’t get paid for 90 days that player becomes a free agent,” Benko said.
Benko joined Dalian in February from Rijeka.
Fiore’s Rossi out with knee injury
Fiorentina striker Giuseppe Rossi is set to miss his team’s Serie A opener at Roma on August 30 with a knee problem. The Italy international hurt his right leg in training last week, although tests have ruled out more serious damage.
Fiorentina said: “The tests done have excluded any muscle injuries in his thigh. However, the exams did reveal signs of excessive pressure being put on his right knee.
“The player will rest and receive appropriate treatment for at least seven days before undergoing further tests.”
Rossi missed four months of last season with a right knee injury be-fore returning to play in May.
The 27-year-old had already undergone two serious operations in his right knee.
Swansea close to Fernandez signing
Swansea expect to complete the signing of Argentina defender Federico Fernandez this week.
The 25-year-old will make the move to the Liberty Stadium from Napoli for a fee understood to be in excess of £7 million.
Fernandez will be a direct rep-lacement for Chico Flores, who joined former Swansea manager Michael Laudrup in Qatar last week.
The centre-half made nearly 60 appearances for Napoli after arriving from Argentinian club Estudiantes in 2011 but went out on loan to Spanish club Getafe last season where he made 14 La Liga appearances.
Man. United agree deal for Rojo
Sporting have agreed to sell Argentina’s World Cup left back Marcos Rojo to Manchester United while Nani will move the other way as he joins the Portuguese side on loan.
Sporting said in a statement to Portugal’s Market Securities Commission that the Premier League side would pay €20 million for the 24-year-old and the Portuguese side would not pay anything for a one-year loan for Nani.
If Rojo is sold on in the future for more than €23 million, Sporting will receive 20 per cent of that fee.
Nani, 27, will return to the club he left seven years ago to join United.
He had a disappointing last season with United and also under-performed for Portugal at the World Cup, despite scoring against the United States
Kluivert rejects Terriers reports
Former Holland and Barcelona striker Patrick Kluivert appears to have closed the door on the pro-spect of becoming manager of Huddersfield.
Kluivert, who also played for Newcastle, Ajax and Milan, was linked with the Huddersfield vacancy at the weekend.
It was reported that he was interested in the position, which was created when Mark Robins was dismissed after a 4-0 opening defeat to Bournemouth in the Championship.
Huddersfield declined to comment on the suggestions, but Kluivert, 38, wrote on Twitter: “All the rumours are suggestions based on Nothing.”
FIGC changes disciplinary code
Derogatory chanting against certain regions of Italy will be treated less severely than racial discrimination this season following a decision by the Italian federation (FIGC).
The FIGC’s executive committee voted to change the disciplinary code and exclude so-called “territorial discrimination” from the list of offences that are punishable with partial or full stadium closures for a first offence.
Instead, it has been included alongside offences such as letting off fireworks, obscene chanting and inciting violence, which are punishable with fines.
Last season, Italy imposed tougher sanctions for racially insulting behaviour by supporters.
However, the rule included territorial discrimination, prompting a rebellion by fans.