James Milner has no regrets over leaving Manchester City for Liverpool in search of more playing time in his favoured central midfield role.
“That is the decision I have made. I am delighted to have joined Liverpool and am enjoying every minute,” the 29-year-old was quoted as saying.
“It is a club used to winning and every time we step on to the field the fans expect to win – that is a nice pressure to have.”
Asked if he regretted leaving City, Milner’s answer was a short, “Not really.”
Van Marwijk lured by World Cup
New Saudi Arabia coach Bert van Marwijk admitted the salary offer was lucrative but the prospect of going to the next World Cup was an even bigger incentive in taking on the job.
The 63-year-old took the Netherlands to the 2010 World Cup and said he was looking forward to the chance of going back to the tournament in 2018.
“Saudi Arabia is a leading football power in Asia and has the real potential to qualify for the World Cup. That is my biggest driver,” Van Marwijk said.
“They came close to qualifying for the last two finals and I would like to make that breakthrough now.”
Illarramendi back at Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad have completed the signing of midfielder Asier Illarramendi from Real Madrid.
The 25-year-old returns to his former club in a €17m deal just two years after leaving Sociedad to join Real Madrid.
Illarramendi, who was linked with Liverpool this month, has put pen to paper on a six-year contract with the Basque side.
Illarramendi, who had four years left on his contract with Madrid, made 59 league appearances for the Bernabeu outfit in his two-year spell at the club.
However, he did not feature in the plans of new Real coach Rafa Benitez and was keen to leave the Spanish giants this summer.
West Brom reject second Spurs bid
West Brom have rejected a second bid from Tottenham, reportedly in the region of £22 million, for unsettled striker Saido Berahino.
West Brom said on Tuesday that they had rejected a written transfer request from the 22-year-old, who manager Tony Pulis dropped for the 3-2 home defeat against Chelsea on Sunday, saying he was not in the right frame of mind to play.
Berahino was also left out of Pulis’s squad for Tuesday’s League Cup win over Port Vale.
“Our position is unchanged. The sale of this player is not on our agenda,” Baggies’ chairman Jeremy Peace said in a statement that confirmed the rejection of the second bid from Spurs.
Bale included in Wales squad
Gareth Bale has been named in Wales’s squad for their crucial Euro 2016 qualifiers against Cyprus and Israel after suffering a fitness scare.
Spanish newspaper Marca reported the Real Madrid forward needed a scan on a painful toe following Sunday’s goalless Primera Division draw at Sporting Gijon.
But an X-ray revealed only bruising and talisman Bale, who has scored five goals in the qualifying campaign, takes his place in Chris Coleman’s 23-strong squad.
Unbeaten Wales top Group B with 14 points from six games and victories over Cyprus and Israel would see them qualify for a major tournament for the first time in 58 years.
De Silva move to Serie A collapses
Promising young Australian midfielder Daniel de Silva has agreed a two-year loan move to Dutch club Roda JC Kerkrade, Perth Glory said yesterday after a transfer to Roma appeared to collapse.
The talented 18-year-old attacking midfielder is on the verge of winning a first Socceroos cap having made the bench for June’s World Cup qualifying win in Kyrgyzstan.
Roma agreed to buy De Silva from Perth in July but the Western Australians said they had loaned out the player rather than the Italians.
Australian AP reported that Perth had re-registered De Silva after the Roma transfer, believed to be an A-League record $1.5m, collapsed.
Digne joins Roma
Roma have completed the signing of defender Lucas Digne on a season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain.
The France international, who was a reported target of Liverpool this summer, was keen to leave PSG to earn more playing time ahead of Euro 2016.
Digne made just 21 starts in all competitions for the French champions last season and Roma have an option to make the player’s stay permanent next summer.
The 22-year-old left-back began his professional at Lille and was handed his first-team debut at the club in 2011 by current Roma boss Rudi Garcia.
He moved to PSG two years ago and has since won two Ligue 1 titles and a Coupe de France.