Francesco Guidolin admits he had hoped to manage Watford but is happy to have been given a chance to experience the Premier League with Swansea.
Guidolin left his last managerial post with Udinese in May 2014 and took up a position as technical supervisor of the three teams owned by the Pozzo family – Udinese, Granada and Watford.
He said: “I think I did some great work at Udinese. I let them know I would have liked to work at Watford but other managers were hired.
“Given their results, which include promotion and good form in the Premier League, they made the right decision.”
Sam Byram seals Hammers switch
West Ham have completed the signing of defender Sam Byram from Leeds.
Byram, 22, has penned a four-and-a-half year deal with the Premier League club, with the transfer fee undisclosed, but reported to be around £3.7 million.
The defender, also said to have been attracting interest from Everton, was a regular in the Leeds side this season.
“I’m unbelievably proud and happy to join a club as big as West Ham,” Byram said.
“I’m just looking forward to what the future holds and hopefully I can achieve things with the team going forward.”
Villa’s Crespo joins Spain’s R. Vallecano
Aston Villa defender Jose Angel Crespo has joined Rayo Vallecano on loan until the end of the season.
Crespo has endured an unsuccessful six months at Villa Park since signing from Cordoba in the summer, making just one league appearance in the 1-0 home defeat to Stoke in October, and the Spaniard has now returned to his homeland.
The 28-year-old, who played for Sevilla, Racing Santander and in Italy with Padova, Bologna and Verona before moving to Villa Park, follows fellow defender Joe Bennett out of the club after the left-back joined Championship hopefuls Shef-field Wednesday this week.
Adriano’s move to China breaks down
Luiz Adriano remains a Milan player after turning down the chance to play in China with Jiangsu Suning.
The 28-year-old Brazil striker, who has scored only three Serie A goals since arriving at San Siro in July, flew to Nanjing earlier this week but has now returned to Italy after failing to reach an agreement with Dan Petrescu’s side.
The former Shakhtar Donetsk player denied claims he had asked for improved wages.
“It’s not true what they’re saying. I never asked for more money in China,” he said.
Messi tax trial to begin on May 31
The tax fraud case of Lionel Messi will be heard by a Barcelona court from May 31 through to June 3, according to a statement yesterday.
World Player of the Year Messi and his father Jorge are accused of defrauding the Spanish state of 4.2 million euros in tax between 2007 and 2009 and a Spanish court ordered that they stand trial last October.
The state attorney has proposed jail terms of up to 22 months if they are found guilty.
Barcelona forward Messi and his father have already paid five million euros to the tax authorities as a “corrective” measure after they were formally charged in June 2013.
Hamburg duo doubtful vs Bayern
Hamburg striker Pierre-Michel Lasogga and central defender Johan Djourou are doubtful to face leaders Bayern Munich when the Bundesliga restarts after a one-month winter break tomorrow, coach Bruno Labbadia said.
The pair trained with the team on Tuesday, with Lasogga back from a shoulder injury and Swiss international Djourou having recovered from a knock on his left knee in training a day earlier.
“I would not bet on it,” Labbadia told reporters when asked whether Lasogga, who has scored six league goals, would be fit in time for the first league match of the year.
“It is difficult to say at the moment. Johan’s injury was a scary moment on Monday.”
No truth in City exit talks – Bony
Manchester City striker Wilfried Bony has dismissed British media reports linking him with a return to former club Swansea City during the January transfer window, by saying that he is happy at the Etihad Stadium.
Bony had earlier expressed his disappointment at losing his starting place to a returning Sergio Aguero.
“I’m happy at the club, all this speculation is not true. I have a contract so I’m happy and I think I’m at one of the top clubs in the United Kingdom,” the 27-year-old told the BBC.
Bony has played second fiddle to Aguero for much of his career at City, having made 27 league appearances since he joined the club in January 2015, 16 of which were as a substitute.