Teenager Joins 'pool: Teenage CSKA Sofia midfielder Mihail Alexandrov will join English Premier League club Liverpool next week, the player said yesterday. "I'll join Liverpool on July 9," said the 18-year-old Alexandrov after passing his medical in Liverpool. "I've reached an agreement to sign a three-year contract with an option for a further two years." Alexandrov, considered one of the rising stars in Bulgarian football, is the second Bulgarian to join Liverpool recently after goalkeeper Nikolay Mihaylov signed a three-year contract last Wednesday.
Kaladze For President: Milan defender and Georgia captain Kakha Kaladze plans to run for the presidency of his country after his playing career is over, Georgian media have reported. "When I'm done as a player I want to go to the United States to get an extra education and then get involved in politics," Kaladze, 29, told the Rustavi 2 television station.
Corradini Leaves: Giancarlo Corradini has left Juventus after six years to coach Serie C1 side Venezia. Corradini took temporary charge of the Serie B champions between the departure of Didier Deschamps and Claudio Ranieri's arrival.
Coleman: Relegated Real Sociedad settled on former Fulham manager Chris Coleman as their next coach because of the style of football the team played when he was in charge at Craven Cottage, said sporting director Salva Iriarte. "I loved the way Fulham played when Coleman was in charge," Iriarte said. "When you see a team play like that it tells you something about the coach and that is what happened with Coleman."
Manchester United: Manchester United have completed the signings of Portuguese winger Nani and Brazilian midfielder Anderson on five-year contracts. The pair join the Premier League champions from Sporting Lisbon and Porto respectively, a day after England holding midfielder Owen Hargreaves completed his move from Bayern Munich. United have also made Polish keeper Tomasz Kuszczak a full signing after he played last season on loan from second division West Bromwich Albion.
Advocaat: Dick Advocaat, coach of Russian premier league leaders Zenit St Petersburg, has remained tight-lipped about his future after being mentioned as a possible choice to lead Australia to the 2010 World Cup. "I have a contract with Zenit till the end of the year. Then I'll decide where to go next," the Dutchman told Russian media.
Mallorca: Argentine goalkeeper German Lux has signed for Real Mallorca until 2011, the Primera Liga side said yesterday. The 25-year-old, who last played at River Plate, was the first-choice keeper when Argentina won the gold medal at the Athens Olympics but was a surprise omission from last year's World Cup squad.
Ballack: Germany captain Michael Ballack will undergo more surgery on his problem ankle today, his club Chelsea said yesterday. The 30-year-old midfielder missed Chelsea's victory over Manchester United in the FA Cup final and two German Euro 2008 qualifiers in June, following a major operation on the ankle at the beginning of May. Chelsea said that the operation would take place in Germany, adding: "The operation is related only to a complication in the healing of the wound from previous surgery in May."
Nugent: Sunderland have withdrawn their offer for Preston striker David Nugent after waiting in vain for an answer from the player. The Black Cats agreed an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £6million, for the 22-year-old several weeks ago and were given permission to talk to him. However, Nugent went away on holiday after the European Under-21 Championships in Holland without making a decision, and Sunderland manager Roy Keane has lost patience and is now looking elsewhere.
Shakhtar Donetsk: Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk have rejected a 12.0 million euro bid for their Brazilian midfielder Francelihno Matuzalem by Spanish club Real Zaragoza. "At the moment Shakhtar is not planning to sell Matuzalem to Zaragoza or any other club," Shakhtar president Rinat Akhmetov was quoted as saying.