Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Emre Can has made use of an exit clause in his contract to join Liverpool next season.
The 20-year-old Germany Under-21 international, who joined Leverkusen from Bayern Munich in 2013, accepted an offer submitted by the English club and would join them from July 1.
“Emre Can developed as a player very quickly in the last 12 months at Bayer Leverkusen and we would have liked to hold on to him,” club CEO Michael Schade said in a statement.
“But the exit clause is part of his contract. So we wish him further development and success in the Premier League.”
Brazilian defender Alex set for Milan
Brazilian defender Alex is joining Milan from Paris SG, the Serie A club said yesterday as they prepared to swoop for his former team-mate Jeremy Menez.
Alex, left out of his country’s World Cup squad, arrived in Milan for a medical and is set to sign a two-year contract.
“I’m very happy to be here at Milan, everyone has said good things about the club to me,” he told Milan’s TV Channel.
“I want to begin working hard to prepare well for next season in which I want to help take Milan back into the Champions League.
“I’m really excited to be able to pull on the Milan shirt and I’m ready to fight for the team.”
Villa to play stint with Aussie club
Spain’s all-time leading goalscorer David Villa will play a three-month stint with Manchester City-owned Australian club Melbourne City before returning to New York City FC for the start of the Major League Soccer season.
The 32-year-old will turn out for the club formerly known as Melbourne Heart between October and November, the A-League team said yesterday.
“From a football point of view, it’s the opportunity to play in a new league in a different country, and of course it will be ideal for me to get some competitive football in the period before the MLS season gets under way,” Villa said.
Sanchez stars, Vidal returns for Chile
Barcelona’s Alexis Sanchez once again proved his worth as a playmaker, setting up both goals in Chile’s 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland in their final World Cup warm-up on Wednesday.
Sanchez, who created all three goals in a 3-2 victory over Egypt on Friday, provided the pass for Eduardo Vargas to head home Chile’s opener after 79 minutes.
Three minutes later Sanchez split the Northern Irish defence for substitute striker Mauricio Pinilla to fire home Chile’s second.
Arturo Vidal made a successful return to international football, coming on as a late substitute for the Chileans just weeks after undergoing knee surgery.
Ronaldo to miss Mexico friendly
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo will miss tomorrow’s friendly against Mexico as he continues to battle tendinosis around his left knee and a thigh injury.
Midfielder Raul Meireles and central defender Pepe will also sit out the match in Boston.
“They will maintain the programme pre-established by the medical department for their injuries, with specific work in the hotel and some sporting interludes on the pitch,” said the FPF’s daily medical bulletin.
Portuguese media said the trio would stay at the team hotel outside New York instead of travelling to Boston.
Ronaldo is suffering from an injury to his left thigh as well as patellar tendinosis.
Neuer out of final warm-up
Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will miss the final World Cup warm-up game against Armenia today to fully recover from a shoulder injury in time for the tournament, coach Joachim Loew said yesterday.
Loew said Neuer, yet to train with the team after getting injured last month, will be fit in time for their first Group G match against Portugal on June 16.
“Manuel Neuer worked hard but yesterday we sat down and decided that he will not play tomorrow because simply we want to avoid a risk, even if it is minimal,” Loew said.
“It will be no problem for the first game against Portugal.”
Argentina win, no goals for Messi
Lionel Messi, looking to score his first World Cup goals since 2006 in Brazil this month, went scoreless as Argentina cruised to a 3-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago in a World Cup warm-up.
Messi missed several chances in the first half, was repeatedly fouled and hit the post with a free-kick from which midfielder Javier Mascherano tapped in Argentina’s second goal.
Striker Rodrigo Palacio, replacing the injured Gonzalo Higuain, headed the opener in the last action of the first half and substitute Maxi Rodriguez completed the win in the 64th minute.
Prolific for Barcelona, Messi has only one goal to his name at two World Cups, scored in a 6-0 rout of Serbia & Montenegro on his tournament debut at the 2006 finals.