Northern Ireland defender Chris Baird has called time on his international career after winning 79 caps.
The 34-year-old, who was a member of the Euro 2016 squad, ends a 13-year stint with his country in order to focus on his club career with Derby County.
Baird made his debut against Italy in 2003 and ended it against Poland in this summer’s Euros.
He said: “I discussed it with my family and as I am not getting any younger I felt it was the right thing to do at this stage.”
Keeper Berisha set for Lazio exit
Goalkeeper Etrit Berisha could leave Lazio before the transfer deadline on August 31 with English club Aston Villa being mentioned as his likely destination if he leaves the Serie A.
According to lazionews.eu, Berisha had talks with coach Simone Inzaghi about his future as he has no intention of spending another season as stand-in to Federico Marchetti.
The Albania keeper returned early from Euro 2016 but Inzaghi still favours Marchetti as his no.1 choice in goal.
Milan sign Sosa from Besiktas
Milan have signed midfielder Jose Ernesto Sosa on a two-year contract from Turkish champions Besiktas.
The 31-year-old player joined Besiktas, initially on loan, in 2014 from Ukrainian club Metalist Kharkiv. He made 31 league appearances and scored seven goals last season.
Before joining Besiktas, Sosa had a six-month spell on loan at Atletico Madrid, during which he helped the Spanish club win the 2013-14 league title.
The Argentina international, capped 19 times, has previous experience in Serie A, having had a one-year stint at Napoli in 2010-11.
Milan, who missed out on Europe for the third consecutive season after finishing seventh in the 2015-16 campaign, begin their season at home to Torino on Sunday.
Mahrez pens new Leicester contract
Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez has ended speculation over his future by signing a new contract that will keep him at the club until June 2020.
British media reports linked the influential winger with a move to Arsenal and Spanish champions Barcelona after he scored 17 league goals last season, helping Leicester to a historic Premier League title and being named the PFA Player of the Year.
The 25-year-old Algerian international signed for Leicester from French Ligue 2 side Le Havre in January 2014, and follows the likes of Wes Morgan, Jamie Vardy and Kasper Schmeichel who have all committed their long-term futures to the club.
Seydou Keita leaves Roma for Qatar
Mali midfielder Seydou Keita has signed for Qatari side El Jaish SC on a six-month deal, the Doha-based club said in a statement.
Keita, 36, has left Roma as a free agent after two years at the Stadio Olimpico, playing 20 Serie A games last season.
In four glittering years at Bar-celona from 2008-12, he won three Spanish titles and two Champions League crowns.
He has also helped Mali reach four Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals, including third-place finishes in 2012 and 2013.
Keita has also had spells at Marseille, Lens, Sevilla, Valencia and Chinese side Dalian Aerbin.
Midfielder Gomez returns to Wigan
Sunderland midfielder Jordi Gomez has returned to Wigan Athletic on a one-year deal two years after leaving the club, the Championship side confirmed yesterday.
Gomez, 31, previously spent five years at Wigan, winning the FA Cup and being relegated from the Premier League in 2013 before joining Sunderland in 2014.
The Spanish midfielder, who began his career at Barcelona but never broke into the first team, spent the second half of last season on loan at Blackburn Rovers, having previously represented Espanyol and Swansea City.
Striker Gomez opts for VfL Wolfsburg
Germany international forward Mario Gomez signed for VfL Wolfsburg yesterday, marking his return to the Bundesliga after a three-year absence.
The 31-year-old striker left Bayern Munich for Italy’s Fiorentina in July 2013, and spent last season on loan at Besiktas where he scored 26 league goals as he helped the club win the Turkish league.
His performances earned him a place in Germany’s squad for Euro 2016, where he scored twice, but soon after the tournament, Gomez said he was leaving the Turkish champions due to the volatile political situation in the country following an attempted military coup.
Gomez, who began his career at Stuttgart, has scored 138 goals in 236 top-flight appearances in Germany.