Struggling Levante have agreed a deal with Fiorentina for the transfer of Giuseppe Rossi until the end of the season, dependant on a medical.
The 28-year-old Italy striker returns to the Primera Division where he spent six years at Villarreal. Rossi scored 19 goals in 41 appearances for the Viola during his three years in Florence.
The former Manchester United forward enjoyed his previous stint in La Liga at Villarreal, for whom he scored 82 goals between 2007-2013.
Levante are bottom of the league, having won just three of their 20 matches.
Kuzmanovic returns to Udinese on loan
Former Inter midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic has returned to Italy to join Udinese on loan.
The 28-year-old Serbia midfielder, who was born and raised in Switzerland, spent a year and a half at San Siro before signing a five-year contract with Basel last summer.
But he is now back in Serie A after agreeing to play for Udinese until the end of the 2015-16 soccer season.
A statement published on Udinese’s official website yesterday revealed the Friuliani possess the option to make the deal permanent.
Kramer fears for his Euro 2016 chances
Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Christoph Kramer does not fancy his chances of representing his country at Euro 2016, claiming there is too much competition for his position.
The 24-year-old lasted just half an hour of the 2014 World Cup final before being forced to leave the field concussed.
“I know what competition there is in midfield,” he said.
“I’ve got to take my place behind Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Kroos and Gundogan. Really, it would not be right for me to make any demands.”
Kramer has missed just two games this season and has been attracting interest from Serie A club Napoli this winter.
Mkhitaryan: Tuchel persuaded me to stay
Borussia Dortmund midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan has revealed that Thomas Tuchel is the reason he stayed with the Bundesliga club this season.
After struggling with his form last term, the Armenian was reportedly considering a move in the summer.
Juventus were one of the clubs interested in the playmaker, but a chat with Tuchel was enough for Mkhitaryan to know he was in the right place in Dortmund.
“I met him for the first time in March and he convinced me to stay,” Mkhitaryan said.
“I wanted to stay also, because I had some things to prove to the people, to show that I deserve to be here.”
Fiorentina sign striker Zarate
Fiorentina have completed the permanent signing of forward Mauro Zarate (picture) from West Ham United.
The deal brings to an end a difficult two-year spell in London for the 28-year-old Argentine who has struggled at Upton Park since joining from Velez Sarsfield in 2014.
Zarate has scored five goals in 21 appearances in all competitions this season, having returned from an unsuccessful loan spell at QPR where he spent the second half of the previous campaign.
British media reported Zarate had agreed a two-and-a-half year deal with Fiorentina, with the fee set to be around £1.6 million.
Young injured
Manchester United’s full-back curse has struck again with Ashley Young ruled out for a “long time” after sustaining a severe groin problem.
Young, a winger who has filled in at right- and left-back this season after a string of injuries, was forced off late in the first half of the Premier League victory at Liverpool on Sunday.
Louis Van Gaal said Young needed surgery and that United could sign a full-back in the January transfer window after being forced to use academy players in the position.
The manager said: “I need full-backs and you have seen how I have used youngsters like Borthwick-Jackson and Varela who are doing great but the level of Manchester United is high.”
Cerci opts for Genoa loan spell
Italy winger Alessio Cerci has joined Genoa on loan from Atletico Madrid.
The 28-year-old former Roma and Fiorentina player moved to Milan from Atletico on a two-season loan deal in January 2015 but struggled to make an impression at the San Siro stadium.
After scoring only Serie A goal during his 12 months in Milan, he has moved to Genoa, who announced the transfer on their official website yesterday.
Cerci attracted Atletico Madrid’s attention with his performances for Torino in the 2013-14 campaign.
His 13-goal haul earned him a big-money move to the Spanish capital, but he only managed to make six appearances.