Stephan El Shaarawy, once considered one of Italy’s most promising forwards, has joined Roma on loan from Milan in a bid to revive a career which has been plagued by injuries.
Roma, who have dropped to fifth in Serie A, said he would stay until the end of the season for a fee of €1.4 million.
The 23-year-old, who has made 17 appearances for Italy, had spent the first half of the season on loan at Monaco where he failed to score a goal in 15 outings.
“I’m very determined and excited, Roma is a fresh start for me,” he told Roma’s website.
“I’ve come here with humility to try and turn my career around.”
David Silva still unfit says Man. City boss
Manchester City playmaker David Silva is not fully fit but the 30-year-old is improving fast and should be at his best by the end of the season, manager Manuel Pellegrini has said.
“David has had different injuries during the season. But now he is feeling better so I hope he will finish the season in his best performance,” Pellegrini told British media.
“It was not only the ankle. He started with that and one or two weeks before the game (first leg) against Everton he had a muscle injury that disturbed him a lot.”
Berbatov interviews himself on Facebook
Former Manchester United and Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov has interviewed himself on Facebook.
The 34-year-old PAOK striker wanted to respond to reports in the media which said he did not want to play for the Greek Superleague team any more.
But rather than give an interview to journalists the striker interviewed himself.
Berbatov, playing the part of journalist, asked the question: “Some media say you don’t want to play for PAOK any more?”
Berbatov, the footballer, replied: “This is why I am giving an interview to you, and not to people who are coming up with stupid things like this.”
Real not boosting squad ahead of ban
Real Madrid will not seek to boost their squad ahead of their transfer ban, which starts at the end of the month, club president Florentino Perez said yesterday.
The club will be unable to register new players during the next two transfer windows for breaching FIFA rules on signing non-Spanish Under-18 players.
“We will not sign players during the winter market but this has nothing to do with the punishment. It is because we have the best players and the best trainer,” Perez told France Football.
Both Real and city neighbours Atletico Madrid were hit with the sanction on January 14 and are appealing the decision.
Martial can become a great striker – Blind
Anthony Martial has all the attributes to become a great striker, his Manchester United team-mate Daley Blind has said.
Following his big-money move from French side Monaco in the close season, Martial has scored eight goals in 27 appearances for United.
“He is a big talent, he is still young and we cannot forget that. But you can see on the training pitch and even in the matches already how much quality he has,” Blind told the club’s website.
“If he is working that hard like he is now, improving and im-proving each week, then he can become a really great striker. He is very quick of course, he is strong and I think he is really calm in front of the goal.”
Piazon sexual assault charges dropped
Sexual assault charges against Reading’s on-loan Chelsea forward, Lucas Piazon, have been dropped.
A warrant was issued for the now 22-year-old in October last year after allegations were made in the wake of the Pan-Am Games tournament.
But a statement by the player’s counsel this week said the charges had been dropped.
Brian Greenspan and Robin McKechney said an “unsupportable and irresponsible allegation” had been made which had “un-fairly tarnished” the Brazilian.
Piazon, who joined Chelsea from Sao Paulo in 2011, has scored two goals in eight appearances for Reading this season.
Sunderland complete Kone signing
Sunderland have completed the signing of Lorient central defender Lamine Kone. The Ivory Coast international has signed a deal which commits him to the Wearside club until the end of the 2019-20 season.
Black Cats boss Sam Allardyce told his club’s official website: “Strengthening our defensive options was a priority for us and Lamine is a player that has impressed me when I’ve seen him play.”
The news ends a protracted pursuit of Kone for the Premier League’s 19th-placed team.
Allardyce had twice ended his interest in the 26-year-old this month, with the Black Cats initially cooling on a £5 million swoop before a proposed loan move broke down.