Parma have signed Inter full-back Jonathan on loan until the end of the season. The Brazilian joined Inter from Santos in the summer but has made just four league appearances for the Nerazzurri so far.
A statement from Parma read: “Parma announces it has acquired Inter defender Jonathan on loan. The player will be at the disposal of coach Roberto Dona-doni today (yesterday).”
The 25-year-old is expected to make his Parma debut in Sunday’s game at Bologna.
Boateng out for four weeks
Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng will be sidelined for at least four weeks with a thigh injury, the club have confirmed.
The Ghana player picked up the injury during last weekend’s 1-0 defeat to Inter.
A statement from Milan read: “Boateng has sustained a muscular lesion in his left thigh and the estimated time of recovery is around four weeks, unless there are complications.”
The 24-year-old will miss eight games, including Milan’s Cham-pions League last-16 home leg against Arsenal on February 15.
Coach Massimiliano Allegri will be hoping to recover Boateng in time for Milan’s Serie A game against Juventus on Feb. 26.
Dzeko urged to use his head
Roberto Mancini wants Edin Dzeko to become Manchester City’s head boy.
Despite his towering size, the Bosnian scored only his second headed goal of the season in Monday’s win at Wigan.
It is a rather surprising statistic given Dzeko’s tally for the campaign now stands at an impressive 14.
“I hope this is the start of a new Dzeko,” said Mancini of the player who had gone 11 games without a goal.
“This guy deserves to be im-portant. He deserves to score.
“I certainly think we can exploit his size more. He can score with his head because he is strong in the air.”
Howson set for Norwich move
Norwich have had a bid accepted for Leeds midfielder and captain Jonny Howson.
The Championship team confirmed they had “reluctantly” accepted an offer for the 23-year-old, whose deal at Elland Road expires in the summer.
A statement on the club’s website read: “The club has reluctantly accepted the offer on the basis that the player only has six months of his current contract remaining and has expressed a desire to play Premier League football at the earliest opportunity.”
Howson has been out of action since December because of a knee injury.
Pato should have left says Sacchi
Former Milan and Italy coach Arrigo Sacchi believes Alexandre Pato made a mistake in declining a move away from the San Siro.
The Serie A champions had reportedly accepted an attractive bid from PSG last week but the Brazilian decided to stay put.
“Pato is a great player but he would have made a better deci-sion had he left Milan,” Sacchi said.
The Rossoneri were prepared to offload Pato in order to raise the necessary funds to sign Carlos Tevez from Manchester City.
“It did seem odd to me that Berlusconi liked Tevez as a player,” Sacchi said.
“For someone who loves Ronaldinho like he does, it would be hard for him to pick Tevez over Pato.”
Odemwingie not for sale – Hodgson
West Brom coach Roy Hodgson insists striker Peter Odemwingie is not for sale.
Odemwingie was Albion’s top scorer last season, his 15 goals helping to preserve the club’s status. The Nigerian has struggled to recapture the same form during the current campaign.
Hodgson said: “I’m not aware of any interest in Peter. We don’t need to sell him, we don’t want to sell him. We can’t stop clubs making offers.
“One club rather cheekily early on (in the transfer window) said they’d like to loan him for a few months but I think that was a semi-jocular approach.”
Becks for LA stay
David Beckham will return to the Los Angeles Galaxy for the 2012 season, the Los Angeles Times reported yesterday.
The report said that the former England captain will announce today that he has reached an agreement on a new contract for this year. His five-year deal with the Galaxy expired last month.
The deal is expected to allow for a sabbatical from MLS that would allow Beckham to play in the London Olympics.
Beckham, who will turn 37 in May, rejected an offer from PSG.
Motivation for that move is believed, at least in part, to be because his wife and four chil-dren enjoy living in southern California.