Barcelona captain Carles Puyol has begun his recovery following knee surgery as he took to the training pitch yesterday.
The 35-year-old Barca veteran, who underwent an operation to have a Baker’s cyst removed from his right knee in June, was put through his paces at the Ciutat Esportiva, working alongside club physio Juanjo Brau.
Puyol missed the pre-season Asia tour to concentrate on his recovery and fitness – after what was his sixth operation as a professional – and is now working on his strength and resistance as he aims to make an early comeback for the defending champions.
Ginter – best German prospect
Freiburg defender Matthias Ginter has been awarded the Under-19 Gold Fritz Walter Medal.
The 19-year-old Germany Under-21 international claimed the award from the German Football Association (DFB) for the best young player following on from his Under-18 Gold Fritz Walter Medal title in 2012.
Ginter becomes only the second player – after German international Mario Goetze – to re-ceive the highest honour in two different age groups.
FC Koln’s Yannick Gerhardt collected the silver award with Dominik Kohr, of Bayer Lever-kusen, getting bronze, while Hoffenheim defender Kevin Akpo-guma succeeded Ginter as the U-18 winner.
Hull City capture Spurs midfielders
Hull City have signed Tom Huddlestone and taken fellow Tottenham midfielder Jake Livermore on a season-long loan, the Premier League newcomers said.
Huddlestone, 26, has joined Hull on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee that media reports put at £5.25 million which would be a club record.
He played 209 games for Spurs, scoring 15 goals, after joining the north London club in July 2005 from Derby County.
Livermore, 23, has struggled to earn a first-team place at Spurs and made only 11 league appearances last season.
Capoue seals Tottenham move
France midfielder Etienne Capoue has completed a move from Tou-louse to Tottenham Hotspur.
The 25-year-old defensive midfielder has won seven caps for his country and scored 13 times in 174 appearances for the Ligue 1 side.
Tottenham did not reveal how much they had paid for Capoue but British media reported a fee in the region of £9 million for the player.
Spurs manager Andre Villas Boas has been busy adding to his squad in the close season with Capoue following Spain striker Roberto Soldado, Brazil midfielder Paulinho and Belgium winger Nacer Chadli for fees totalling £50 million.
Mourinho: Luiz is going nowhere
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has insisted the club will not sell star defender David Luiz for any price.
The versatile Brazil inter-national has been linked with a big-money move to Barcelona but Mourinho is adamant the 26-year-old will not be leaving Stamford Bridge.
Mourinho, who returned to the London club for a second spell this summer, told BT Sport: “No chance he is going to leave. He is a player we want to keep.
“He is a player with four years (on his) contract, he just signed a contract last year.
“He is an important playerfor the Chelsea squad and the club is not ready to sell him for any price.”
Martinez relief over Fellaini
Everton manager Roberto Martinez is relieved that the buy-out clause in Marouane Fellaini’s contract expired at the end of July.
The Belgium midfielder, along with team-mate Leighton Baines, has been linked with a move away from Goodison Park this summer, with both players reported targets of Manchester United manager David Moyes.
The transfer window does not close until 11pm on September 2 but Martinez, at his first briefing of the new football season, said: “Marouane Fellaini had a buy-out clause where it was very straightforward.
“If someone met that valua-tion, the club had no say.
“That finished on July 31 so you can imagine during that period everyone was a bit expectant about what would happen.”
Chievo consider Brienza bid
Chievo coach Giuseppe Sannino is keen to add Atalanta’s Franco Brienza to his squad, according to reports in Italy.
The 34-year-old forward has less than a year remaining on his contract at the Stadio Azzurri d’Italia.
Sannino is well-acquainted with the former Reggina player after coaching him during spells at Siena and then Palermo.
Brienza moved to Atalanta from Palermo on the final day of the January transfer window but made only six league appearances for the club last term.