Dja Djedje: Marseille defender Brice Dja Djedje claims he has signed for Watford. The Ivory Coast international told L’Equipe he would be moving to the Premier League in a reported £4 million four-year deal. Dja Djedje said: “I had other proposals, yes, even a German club, but I preferred to sign for Watford because this is a good club. “I will find some former players of Ligue 1 and because it allows me to set foot in the Premier League.”
Song: Rubin Kazan have reached a provisional agreement to sign Alex Song from Barcelona, the Russian club have announced. Song, 28, spent the last two seasons on loan at West Ham from Barca, making 47 appearances in total for the Hammers. The former Cameroon international, who moved to the Nou Camp from Arsenal for £15 million on a five-year deal in 2012 , is now set to play for Rubin next season.
Petrov: Stiliyan Petrov will not be offered a playing contract at Aston Villa despite attempting to make his comeback. The Bulgarian midfielder has been training with Villa this summer after battling back from leukaemia, following his diagnosis in 2012. Petrov initially retired from playing three years ago but was invited on Villa’s pre-season trip to Austria with a view to impressing first-team coaches, although the club have now confirmed he will not make a return to on-field action.
Halilovic: Hamburg are closing in on the signing of Croatia midfielder Alen Halilovic from Barcelona, with the 20-year-old arriving in northern Germany for a medical yesterday. After spending last season on loan at Sporting Gijon, Halilovic is now set to join the Bundesliga club on a permanent deal. Personal terms have already been agreed with the former Dinamo Zagreb youth player, who will wear the number 23 shirt for his new employers.
Wimmer: Tottenham defender Kevin Wimmer has signed a new five-year contract, the Premier League club have announced. Wimmer moved to Spurs from Cologne last summer and enjoyed an impressive run in the side while first-choice centre-back Jan Vertonghen was injured. The Austrian’s new deal extends his commitment at White Hart Lane by one year.