Israel midfielder Yossi Benayoun has signed a short-term contract with English Championship club Queen’s Park Rangers.
The promotion-chasing London club confirmed yesterday that the former West Ham United, Liverpool and Chelsea player, who had been on trial, had joined the second-tier side until the end of the season.
“Yossi is a good footballer, a top-class player,” QPR manager Harry Redknapp said.
“He’s got great ability and is someone I have always liked. I actually tried to take him to Tottenham at one time.
“I think he will be a fantastic addition to the squad.”
Rossoneri suffer Birsa injury blow
Milan are expected to be without Valter Birsa until January after the Slovenian midfielder sustained a thigh injury at the weekend.
Birsa, who has scored two goals in 11 league appearances for the Rossoneri this season, was rep-laced by Stephan El Shaarawy in the 38th minute of Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Livorno.
A statement read: “Birsa suffered a right thigh injury in last Saturday’s match with Livorno. A recovery time will be given in the coming days.”
Birsa will miss today’s Champions League game against Ajax as well as the Serie A matches against Roma and Inter.
Hooper’s hopes
Norwich striker Gary Hooper has said he still hopes to break into the England squad for next summer’s World Cup.
The 25-year-old laid out his international ambition when joining the Premier League club in the summer from Celtic.
He has scored three times from his last four starts for the Canaries and has five goals for the season in all competitions.
Asked if going to Brazil was on his mind, Hooper said: “Yes. Everyone wants to play for their country. I’ve just got to keep doing it on the pitch and keep scoring goals.
“Everyone’s got to create chances. It’s a team game and I’ve got to take my chances.”
Kucka injury blow for Genoa
Genoa midfielder Juraj Kucka is expected to miss six months of the Serie A season after rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.
The 26-year-old Slovakian was forced off during Genoa’s 2-1 defeat at Cagliari and subsequent medical tests have revealed the extent of the damage.
A statement published on Genoa’s official website confirmed Kucka will be visited by specialist Pierpaolo Mariani today in order to establish a date for surgical intervention.
The former Sparta Prague player – who has made 11 league appearances, scoring two goals this season – had been a reported transfer target for Milan.
Striker Gabbiadini not leaving Samp
The agent of striker Manolo Gabbiadini told reporters that his client will not be leaving Sampdoria in the January transfer window despite strong interest from other clubs in Italy and abroad.
Gabbiadini, 22, scored five goals for Sampdoria this season after signing a half-share transfer deal in summer with the other club involved being Juventus.
“He’s so settled at Sampdoria that it would make no sense to leave in January,” agent Silvio Pagliari said.
“He fits well into the side and he’s not considering leaving the club... not in the slightest.”
Vieira: I started the Highbury tunnel row
Patrick Vieira has revealed he started the infamous Highbury tunnel spat between Arsenal and Manchester United in February 2005.
United went on to win the league clash 4-2, with neither side punished for the fracas.
Vieira sheepishly admitted he caused the tunnel chaos in an ITV documentary yesterday.
“I started it,” said the former France and Arsenal midfielder.
“When we played at Old Trafford his (Gary Neville’s) tackling was flying on Robert Pires and he was doing it on purpose, and I said ‘listen, we are not at Old Trafford here, this is Highbury’.
“So I said to him ‘if you touch Robert, I will come after you’.”
Juve’s Coppa Italia tie moved forward
Juventus will be playing Serie B side Avellino in the next round of the Coppa Italia today week in-stead of the original date scheduled for next month.
If the Bianconeri eliminate Avellino their opponents in the quarter-finals could be Roma, currently second in the Serie A standings, three points behind Juventus.
First, the Giallorossi will have to negotiate their passage to the last eight by beating Sampdoria, a match pencilled for January 9.
Another enticing quarter-final match-up could involve city rivals Milan and Inter.
For that to happen Milan first have to beat Spezia in the fifth round (Jan.15) and Inter emerge unscatched from a tricky trip to Udinese (Jan.9).