Berghuis: Watford have an-nounced the signing of winger Steven Berghuis from AZ Alkmaar. The 23-year-old, who scored 11 goals in 22 league appearances last season, has put pen to paper on a four-year contract at Vicarage Road in a deal understood to be worth around £4.6 million.
Ayew: Aston Villa have signed Ghanaian striker Jordan Ayew for an undisclosed fee. The 23-year-old has penned a five-year contract at Villa Park after leaving Ligue 1 club Lorient. Manager Tim Sherwood said: “I’m really pleased to bring Jordan to the football club. He is a fantastic young player who is perfectly suited to the Premier League.”
Wright-Phillips: New York Red Bulls have announced the signing of former England international Shaun Wright-Phillips, who will link up with his younger brother Bradley at the MLS side. The Red Bulls have not disclosed terms of Wright-Phillips’s contract but the 33-year-old winger is available for Saturday’s trip to the Philadelphia Union.
Mutko: Sports minister Vitaly Mutko will take on vice-speaker of the Russian State Duma Igor Lebedev in a two-horse race for the president’s post at the Russian Football Union (RFU) later this year. Both were registered by the election committee yesterday for the Sept. 2 polls. With 45 member organisations of the RFU backing him, Mutko, who headed the union from 2005-2009, is an overwhelming favourite to win the election. Lebedev currently has the backing of only one member.
Stoke: Stoke have announced the signing of former Barcelona winger Ibrahim Afellay. The 29-year-old has signed a two-year contract with the Premier League club and will link up with his new team-mates in France. Afellay arrives at the Britannia Stadium after his contract with Barcelona expired over the course of the summer.
Champions League
Third qualifying round
| Playing today | 1st leg | 2nd leg | Agg |
| CSKA Moscow (Russia) vs Sparta Prague (Czech Rep.) | |||
| Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) vs Molde (Norway) | |||
| FC Midtjylland (Denmark) vs Apoel FC (Cyprus) | |||
| Fenerbahce (Turkey) vs Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine) | |||
| Maccabi Tel-Aviv (Israel) vs Viktoria Plzen (Czech Rep.) | |||
| Milsami Orhei (Moldova) vs KF Skenderbeu (Albania) | |||
| Panathinaikos (Greece) vs Club Brugge (Belgium) | |||
| Videoton (Hungary) vs FC Bate Borisov (Belarus) | |||
| Young Boys (Switzerland) vs Monaco (France) | |||
| Tomorrow | |||
| Celtic (Scotland) vs Qarabag (Azerbaijan) | |||
| HJK Helsinki (Finland) vs FC Astana (Kazakhstan) | |||
| Lech Poznan (Poland) vs FC Basel (Switzerland) | |||
| Rapid Vienna (Austria) vs Ajax Amsterdam (Holland) | |||
| Salzburg (Austria) vs Malmo (Sweden) | |||
| S. Bucharest (Romania) vs Partizan Belgrade (Serbia) |
Second legs: August 4-5.
Play-off round draw: August 7.