Aston Villa have signed defender Ritchie De Laet from Premier League champions Leicester City on a three-year contract.
“I’m pleased to have brought Ritchie to the club,” manager Roberto Di Matteo told second-tier Villa’s website yesterday.
“He is ... a player who not only has Championship experience but has also played a part in helping a team win promotion back to the Premier League.”
The 27-year-old Belgian full-back, who made 129 appearances for Leicester after leaving Manchester United in 2012, moved to Middlesbrough on loan in January and helped them finish second in the Championship.
‘Saints need time to adapt to Puel’s style’
Southampton will take time to adapt to the diamond midfield formation set out by new manager Claude Puel, midfielder Dusan Tadic has said as the club seek their first win in the new Premier League campaign.
The club began the season with a 1-1 draw against Watford and then suffered a 2-0 defeat at Manchester United last Friday.
“We are disappointed. We need to see what is good and what is not good and to clean our mistakes,” Tadic told the club’s website.
“This specific system, players didn’t play so much that system and then you need always to learn from that system and this needs time.”
United defender Blackett joins Reading
Manchester United defender Tyler Blackett joined Championship club Reading on Monday night, signing a three-year contract.
The 22-year-old England Under-21 spent last season on loan at Celtic, where he won a Scottish League winner’s medal.
Reading manager Jaap Stam, formerly a defender with United, said Blackett’s versatility was a key factor in the move.
“He can play as a left-back or a left-sided centre-back; he has got great potential in the sense that he is quick and athletic, defensively he is strong and he is good at set-pieces,” Stam said.
New contract for West Ham’s Burke
West Ham defender Reece Burke has signed a new four-year contract, tying him to the Premier League club until 2020.
The 19-year-old centre-back spent last season on loan at Bradford City but is hoping to play in tomorrow’s Europa League play-off round, second-leg match against Romania’s FC Astra, having played in the away leg.
“I’m hoping to be involved and if Slaven (Bilic, the manager) asks me to do a job anywhere on the pitch I’ll definitely be up for it,” Burke told West Ham’s website.
“The club has a few centre-halves this season so there’s a lot of competition there. If he asks me, I’m just going to say ‘Yes’.”
Napoli made Bacca approach, says agent
Napoli made an approach for Carlos Bacca but the Colombian striker is happy to stay at Milan, his agent has said.
The Partenopei have been searching for a top-notch striker after losing Gonzalo Higuain and Bacca was one of their top targets.
“Carlos is fine, he’s happy to stay in Milan and he’s hoping to have a good season,” Sergio Barila told Radio Crc.
“We know his qualities, but to score a hat-trick in the first game (against Torino) means the team can rely on him and they should continue on this path.
“Was he close to joining Napoli? I can’t reveal that, you should speak to the club, but I can tell you Napoli were interested in the player.”
Two players banned from racecourses
Two footballers have been banned from racecourses in Britain by the British Horseracing Authority.
At March’s Cheltenham Festival, Samir Carruthers, of MK Dons, and James Collins – who was on loan to Northampton from Shrewsbury at the time – were pictured appearing to relieve themselves on a balcony while surrounded by racegoers. Cheltenham cancelled the booking of a group of players for day two of the showpiece fixture.
Collins, now with Crawley, and Carruthers both publicly apologised for their actions. Collins can appeal the ban after two years and Carruthers after a year.
Amoruso influential in Garner’s move
Joe Garner has revealed how he was sold on his move to Rangers by former Ibrox skipper Lorenzo Amoruso. The £1.5million striker sealed his switch from Preston on Saturday after admitting it was too good a move to turn down.
Garner revealed he has had one eye on the Light Blues since his days as a teenager at Blackburn, when he shared a dressing room with Italian defender Amoruso.
Garner told RangersTV: “You’ve seen some massive stars up here, and when I was a kid at Blackburn, Lorenzo Amoruso came down from Rangers and didn’t shut up about what it was like when he was here.
“So I have memories of that, and now I’m just really looking forward to getting involved and playing my part here.”