Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has been named head coach of Chinese club Guangzhou R & F after leaving Al Nasr on Monday.
The 65-year-old had requested to leave his role as technical director of the United Arab Emirates club after being offered the new opportunity in China.
A statement on the Guangzhou website said: “The club’s board of directors has today officially hired Sven-Goran Eriksson as Guang-zhou football coach until Decem-ber 2014.
“Coach Li Bing will from today no longer serve as the acting head coach.”
Casillas wishes Mourinho well
Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas insists he bears former coach Jose Mourinho no ill will and has wished him luck at Chelsea.
Casillas fell out of favour under Mourinho during the Portuguese’s last season at Madrid and ended up not playing a single match for the first team in the final five months of the season.
He said: “I don’t hold any grudge nor do I feel mistreated by him. He took the decisions which he thought were the best for the club and you need to respect that.
“I’ve nothing personal against him.”
Courtois keen on Benteke
Thibaut Courtois believes Belgium team-mate and Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke could be just the man Atletico Madrid need to fill the sizeable gap left by Radamel Falcao’s big-money move to Monaco.
Atletico snapped up young Rayo Vallecano striker Leo Baptistao on Monday as they seek to replace Falcao and have also been linked with a number of other forwards.
“Benteke is a very strong centre-forward, tall, but with very good technique and skilful with the ball at his feet,” said Courtois.
“I think that he could be a great signing for Atletico. During these days with the national team I’m going to ask him about his future.”
Rommedahl back in Dutch league
Former Danish international Denis Rommedahl will return to the Dutch league next season at the age of 34 after signing a two-year contract with RKC Waalwijk.
The experienced winger returns to the club where he last played 15 years ago.
Rommedahl, with 124 caps for his country, has played at three other Dutch clubs, PSV Eindhoven, Ajax Amsterdam and NEC Nijmegen, as well as Charlton Athletic in England and Greek side Olympiakos.
“You could say my career has come full circle. I hope my experience will add something to the team,” he told the club website www.rkcwaalwijk.nl.
Sagna in Arsenal talks on new deal
Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna has confirmed he is in talks to extend his contract, but the full-back has not ruled out a return to France for a “new challenge” in the future.
Sagna, 30, is entering into the final season of his current deal at the Emirates Stadium, and so could become a free agent this time next year and agree a lucrative Bosman transfer.
Paris St Germain and Monaco are said to be monitoring the situation, but former Auxerre defender Sagna, who has twice recovered from broken leg, hinted he would be happy to stay on at Arsenal if an agreement can be brokered.
Sagna said: “There are talks, but I still haven’t extended my contract. I am talking, and I am not at a bad club either.”
Man. City make S. African move
Manchester City have further enhanced their international presence by announcing a new partnership with South African club Black Aces FC.
The three-year arrangement will see Black Aces, based in the Mpumalanga province, become City’s “official regional school of football partner”.
The move comes after the recent announcement of other international projects such as the launch of a New York-based team in Major League Soccer and the successful establishment of an Academy in Abu Dhabi.
As part of the Black Aces deal, City will deliver coaching programmes to local children.
No date yet for Super Coppa
A date and venue for the Italian Super Cup final have yet to be announced after Juventus and Lazio failed to reach an agreement.
Coppa Italia winners Lazio want the tie to be staged in Beijing, during early August, as the Italian League are contracted to host at least one more final in the Chinese city before 2016.
However, champions Juve are opposed to the idea as that will clash with their pre-season tour of the United States.
As a result, they have proposed three alternatives – playing in Canada on August 10, playing in Turin or Milan on August 18, or Beijing on August 24.