Veteran Portuguese striker Nuno Gomes, 35, has announced that he is leaving Benfica for the second time.
“I’ve been informed that Benfica have definitively decided not to prolong my contract,” Gomes, who won 77 caps for Portugal, said on his website.
“I now feel free to analyse all the propositions that could be forthcoming and choose my future.”
Benfica said they had offered Gomes a back-room role at the club but Gomes said he hoped to continue playing “for at least an extra season”.
The former Benfica captain made just six league appearances last season but still managed to score four goals.
Belletti makes Ceara move
Former Chelsea and Barcelona full-back Juliano Belletti has joined Brazilian club Ceara until the end of the 2011 season.
The 34-year-old former Brazil international, who scored the winning goal for Barcelona against Arsenal in the 2006 Champions League final, was released by Chelsea last summer.
He has been a free agent since leaving Fluminense in March after an injury-plagued spell with the Rio de Janeiro club.
A Ceara statement yesterday read: “Midfielder Belletti, who also acts at right-back, has this Wednesday signed for Ceara SC until the end of 2011 season.”
Copa America on YouTube
YouTube, which began live-streaming Indian Premier League cricket matches last year, has announced that it will show all 26 matches in next month’s Copa America.
YouTube said matches from the Copa America, which begins on July 1 and is being held in Argentina, will be live-streamed at youtube.com/copaamerica and available in more than 50 countries around the world.
“Fans will have access to all 26 matches including pool play, semi-finals, quarter-finals and the championship match, live streaming as they happen with exclusive-to-YouTube commentary,” YouTube said in a blog post.
Newcastle out to land Ba
Newcastle hope to push through a move for West Ham striker Demba Ba in the coming days.
Press Association Sport reported that the 26-year-old Senegal international was due on Tyneside yesterday, with the Magpies hoping to get their hands on a man upon whom they set their sights several weeks ago.
Former Hoffenheim frontman Ba, who is understood to have a release clause in the contract he signed with the Hammers in January, scored seven goals in 13 appearances for the Londoners last season, but could not prevent them slipping out of the Premier League.
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew put at least one striker at the top of his summer shopping list, with Andy Carroll yet to be replaced.
Giggs sues over hacking scandal
Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs became the latest celebrity to take legal action against the News of the World over allegedly hacking into his mobile phone, his lawyer announced.
The 37-year-old, who it was revealed last month by a British lawmaker was the married footballer who won a court injunction to keep details of an alleged affair secret, believes he is one of those whose phone was hacked into between 2005 and 2006.
The London Met Police are presently heading up an investigation into the claims. In April, Giggs’s team-mate Wayne Rooney said he had been contacted by detectives involved in the investigation.
Bebe on loan to Besiktas
Manchester United forward Bebe has joined Turkish club Besiktas on a season-long loan, the Premier League champions confirmed yesterday.
The 20-year-old arrived from Portuguese side Vitoria de Guimaraes in August 2010 and has since made seven first-team appearances for United, scoring in both the League Cup and the Champions League.
Bebe had been at Guimaraes just five weeks and not even played a game for them when United swooped in a £7.4million deal.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson later admitted Bebe was the first player he had signed without having even seen him play on television.
Besiktas confirmed that Bebe will play for the entire 2011/12 campaign.
Stoke take Vass case to CAS
Stoke’s bid to secure compensation from Brescia for Hungary international Adam Vass has reached the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.
The 22-year-old midfielder spent two-and-a half years at the Britannia Stadium before turning down the offer of a contract in favour of a move to the Italian club in 2007.
Stoke chief executive Tony Scholes appeared before sport’s supreme court in Lausanne yesterday to argue their case for compensation.
“We believe we are entitled to compensation under FIFA rules and our legal advice has been that, at the very least, we have a very strong case,” Scholes told stokecityfc.com.