Fletcher: Scotland striker Steven Fletcher will play for Marseille for the rest of the season after moving on loan from Premier League strugglers Sunderland. The 28-year-old began his career with Edinburgh-based Hibernian and joined Sunderland from Wolves in 2012, scoring 23 goals in 108 appearances.

Verdu: Joan Verdu has followed Giuseppe Rossi’s example by leaving Fiorentina to join Levante. The 32-year-old midfielder – a product of Barcelona’s La Masia academy – returns to Spain on a free transfer after rescinding his contract with Fiorentina, for whom he signed in August. Rossi joined Levante on loan last month and has already scored for the Valencia-based club.

Van Ginkel: PSV Eindhoven have announced the signing of midfielder Marco van Ginkel on loan from Chelsea until the end of the season. Van Ginkel spent the first half of the season at Stoke, but has now switched to the Eredivisie. It was announced last July that Van Ginkel, 23, would spend the 2015/16 campaign at Stoke, but now he has moved to the Netherlands.

Pereira: Getafe have signed former Porto and Inter left-back Alvaro Pereira on loan from Estudiantes. The 30-year-old Uruguayan moved to Argentina after a disappointing experience at Inter but is now back in Europe with Getafe. The Madrid-based club confirmed Pereira had committed to playing at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez until the end of the current season.

Heitinga: Former Everton defender John Heitinga has retired from playing at the age of 32, his club Ajax have announced. A statement from the Dutch outfit revealing the news said Heitinga would be taking a job on their coaching staff. He rejoined Ajax last summer from Hertha Berlin on a one-year deal and has made only two Eredivisie appearances since, both as a substitute.