Swansea City are edging closer to the signing of Tom Carroll after agreeing an initial fee for the Tottenham midfielder, reports in the UK media said yesterday.
It seems that the Spurs have accepted a basic offer of around £5 million for Carroll but want the overall deal to be worth around £9 million when add-ons are included.
That is more than the bid Swansea have currently put on the table but talks are ongoing, with both clubs confident a resolution will be found.
Carroll’s switch could be finalised this week as new manager Paul Clement continues to shake up his squad for the fight against relegation.
Keeper Rubinho makes Genoa return
Veteran goalkeeper Rubinho will be filling the void left by Genoa keeper Mattia Perin who continues with his long recovery following knee surgery last week.
Sky Italia said Rubinho, 34, will be making a return to Genoa following a first stint between 2006 and 2009 during which he made 95 appearances for the club.
Rubinho, who also played for Juventus and third-tier side Como, will be wearing the no.83 shirt, Genoa said on their official website.
At present, Genoa’s first keeper is Eugenio Lamanna.
Nottm Forest takeover collapses
Nottingham Forest owner Fawaz Al Hasawi has announced that a prospective takeover of the club by an American consortium has fallen through.
Al Hasawi said the deal, which had been expected to be finalised last week, was “not in the interests of the long-term future of our club”.
Nottingham Forest are ailing under the Kuwaiti’s ownership, and currently languishing in the bottom half of the Championship table.
Al Hasawi bought Nottingham Forest FC from the estate of the late former owner Nigel Doughty in 2012.
Mourinho tips Pogba for captain
Paul Pogba’s winning mentality makes Jose Mourinho believe the midfielder could one day make a fine Manchester United captain.
Four years on from departing without a first-team start to his name, United last summer brought the 23-year-old back to Old Trafford for a world record fee.
Mourinho believes the midfielder has the attributes to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Bobby Charlton, Bryan Robson, Roy Keane and Wayne Rooney and captain United.
“I think he has,” Mourinho said.
“I think Paul has the charisma, the mentality. He is a good professional. Being so young and with so many ingredients, I think he can become captain.”
Hayatou to stand for presidency
Issa Hayatou is seeking another four-year term as the Confederation of African Football’s president to extend his grip on a position he has held since 1988.
Cameroonian Hayatou, 70, will face a rare challenge, however, after executive committee member Ahmad, from Madagascar, declared his candidacy for the election to be held at the CAF Congress in two months’ time.
CAF last year brought in new rules limiting the presidency to just three four-year terms.
The ruling, however, only applies since it was passed in September, meaning Hayatou could extend his tenure by 12 years.
Barca sack director after Messi remarks
Barcelona removed Pere Gratacos as their institutional sporting relations director after he claimed that Lionel Messi “would not be as good” without his team-mates.
The club acted swiftly after Gratacos had made his comments about the man regarded widely as the world’s best player following Friday’s King’s Cup draw in Madrid.
“Leo is one of the most important people in the team, but it’s not just about him,” Gratacos told reporters.
“He would not be as good without (Andres) Iniesta, Neymar and company, but Messi is the best.”
Barca issued a statement hours later confirming Gratacos had been released from his duties after “he had expressed a personal opinion publicly not in line with that of the club.”
Hearts midfielder handed call-up
Midfielder Faycal Rherras, who plays at Edinburgh club Hearts, has been called up by Morocco to their African Nations Cup squad as an injury replacement, the Moroccan Football Federation said yesterday.
The 23-year-old, who was born in Belgium and has earned a single cap for Morocco, replaces Sofiane Boufal, who pulled out of the tournament because of an injury.
Morocco have already lost key midfielder Younes Belhanda and attackers Noureddine Amrabat and Oussama Tannane to injury ahead of the finals in Gabon, which got underway yesterday.