West Bromwich Albion have rejected an offer for Saido Berahino from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and have no interest in selling the England under-21 striker, chairman Jeremy Peace said.
No details were disclosed but, according to media reports, Spurs bid £15m for the player.
“We have no interest in selling Saido,” Peace said in a statement.
“I know we are living in an age where no club can say ‘never’ about selling player however the prospect of selling Saido is simply not on our agenda.
“We are going forward with Saido very much in our plans and still striving to add players to improve the balance of our squad.”
Mayer-Vorfelder dies
Former German football federation president Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder has died at the age of 82, the DFB has announced.
Mayer-Vorfelder had been an honorary DBF president since stepping down in 2007. He was also involved on FIFA and UEFA executive committees.
“I would like to express my deepest sympathy to his wife Margit and his whole family,” said the current DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach.
“A prominent figure of German football has left us in Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder.”
Mayer-Vorfelder was president of Stuttgart from 1975 until 2000.
Rocha extradition
Nicaragua has charged former FIFA Development Officer Julio Rocha with money laundering and embezzlement, the country’s attorney general, Julia Guido, said, and is seeking his extradition.
Rocha was arrested in Zurich in May after being indicted by the US along with 13 other soccer officials and sports marketing executives on graft charges.
Guido said that Rocha, who agreed to be extradited from Switzerland back to his native Nicaragua earlier this month, held a soccer broadcasting rights contract worth $150,000 with Traffic Sports USA, of which $100,000 was an “international bribe” that entered Nicaragua through a Spanish bank.
Monk says new signings unlikely
Swansea City manager Garry Monk is happy with his current squad and says the club are unlikely to bring in any more new players before the transfer window closes on September 1.
The Swans made six signings in the close season, bringing in midfielder Andre Ayew, defender Franck Tabanou, forwards Eder and Oliver McBurnie, and goalkeepers Kristoffer Nordfeldt and Josh Vickers.
“I think we are done (in terms of adding), I am not actively looking for anyone,” Monk was quoted as saying yesterday.
“You can never say never, but nothing is imminent or anything like that.”
Goetze should be left in peace
German champions Bayern Munich have urged for an end to the ongoing transfer speculation regarding attacking midfielder Mario Goetze, with the Germany international still without a starting spot in his third season at the club.
The 23-year-old, who scored the winner for Germany in last year’s World Cup final, has again started the season as a little used substitute while also refusing to commit to a future at Bayern despite a contract till 2017.
“Can we agree on one thing, to allow Mario to play football?” Bayern sports director Matthias Sammer told reporters after Monday’s 3-1 friendly win over Dynamo Dresden.
“He enjoys our trust but we need to leave the boy in peace.”
Marquinho makes Udinese switch
Udinese have signed Brazilian midfielder Marquinho from Roma for an undisclosed fee.
The 29-year-old, who played last season on loan at Saudi Premier League club Al-Ittihad, has put pen to paper on a four-year contract with the Friuli outfit.
Marquinho moved to Roma in 2012 from Fluminense and scored seven goals in 52 appearances for the Giallorossi before being sent out on loan to Verona in January 2014.
He scored nine goals in 26 appearances for Al-Ittihad this past season and had one year left on his contract with Roma.
Udinese, coached by Stefano Colantuono, begin the Serie A campaign on Sunday away to champions Juventus.
Luis Enrique wants Pedro case resolved
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique is impatient for the transfer window to close at the end of the month to end the uncertainty over the future of Spain forward Pedro.
Pedro revealed last month the Spanish and European champions had received offers for him after agreeing to trim the size of his buyout clause to 30 million euros.
Media reports suggested the 28-year-old might seal a move to English champions Chelsea, although Manchester United are said to be the current favourites to secure his services.
“It’s a difficult situation and it’s hard (for Pedro) to stay focused,” Luis Enrique said.
“I want the market to damn well close so that I know who I can count on.”