Former Liverpool forward Harry Kewell will return home to Australia to play with Melbourne Heart in his second stint in the country’s top-flight A-League.
The 34-year-old was released by Qatar’s Al Gharafa last month at the end of the season after scoring one goal in four games.
Kewell had signed a one-year deal with Heart for the 2013/14 season, the club said yesterday, having previously played a year with cross-town rivals Melbourne Victory in 2011/12.
“I have been in regular contact with Harry over the past few months and have been so struck and impressed by his hunger,” Heart coach John Aloisi said.
Sevilla reject Negredo bid
Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido claims the club have rejected a €17 million offer from West Ham for striker Alvaro Negredo, with the club under no pressure to sell after agreeing a deal to send Jesus Navas to Manchester City.
“He has four years left on his contract,” Del Nido said of the 27-year-old striker, who scored 31 goals last season.
“He is at home here. He has scored a lot of goals and delighted us with his football.
“The summer will tell us in due course if he will still be with us, but if you ask my opinion I’d rather there were no bids.
“West Ham offered €17 million in cash with more in incentives but we do not value the offer and the player refused.”
Player in coma after car crash
Nice midfielder Kevin Anin has been seriously injured in a road accident and placed in an artificial coma, L’Equipe report-ed yesterday.
The 26-year-old was injured when a car he was travelling in left the A28 motorway around 60kms north-east of Rouen.
L’Equipe’s report claims the driver of the vehicle had fallen asleep at the wheel, although that has not been confirmed.
Anin reportedly suffered arm and spinal injuries and was placed in an induced coma at Rouen University Hospital.
Three other people were also taken to hospital following the accident, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Sneijder’s dream
Wesley Sneijder wants Holland to give manager Louis van Gaal the perfect send-off next year by winning the World Cup.
Van Gaal announced last week he intends to quit the Oranje after next summer’s tournament.
Holland and Galatasaray midfielder Sneijder admits the players did not know of Van Gaal’s plans ahead of his announcement and went on to express his desire to lift the trophy for the manager.
He said: “Let’s hope that in 2014 we end up with the cup, then it will been the right choice for Louis to leave.”
Berlusconi eyes Kaka – report
Serie A giants Milan are keen to bring Brazilian midfielder Kaka back to the San Siro, the Corriere dello Sport reported yesterday.
Milan president Silvio Berlusconi has reportedly told coach Massimiliano Allegri that he is planning an audacious move for the 31-year-old this summer.
The arrival of Kaka would force Allegri to drop his favourite system of 4-3-3 and switch back to a 4-3-1-2 module to favour the Brazilian.
Kaka joined Milan in 2003. He was transferred to Real Madrid six years later for a record fee of €67.2 million.
Bramble hits out at manager Di Canio
Sunderland manager Paulo Di Canio is a “strange person” who has a lot to learn about the job, the club’s defender Titus Bramble was quoted as saying by British media yesterday.
Bramble, who will leave Sunderland at the end of the month, said the Italian coach was making big mistakes and was in danger of losing the support of his players.
“I’ve never played under anyone like him and I’ve played for some of the best managers around,” Bramble told reporters yesterday.
“He thinks he knows every-thing but he has got a lot to learn.
“He’s a young manager trying to stamp his mark on things but he’s making some big mistakes... He was fine at first but he’s a strange person.”
Nantes to appeal transfer ban
Nantes plan to appeal to the Swiss federal court over their FIFA transfer ban, club pre-sident Waldemar Kita has confirmed.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday upheld an embargo imposed by FIFA over the signing of Guinea striker Ismael Bangoura, meaning the club cannot sign players this summer or in next January’s transfer window.
Kita said: “Our lawyers will undertake without delay an appeal to the Swiss federal court.
“By the end of the week, the appeal brief will be filed to defend the rights of a worker (Bangoura) who was prohibited from doing his job.
“We have to defend him and defend ourselves.”