SERIA A STARS BANNED IN MATCH FIXING SCANDAL

Serie A has been hit by another scandal as two current players were handed bans and fined following a match-fixing probe.

Torino forward Paulo Vitor Barreto and Genoa defender Giovanni Marchese had plea bargains accepted by prosecutors, who subsequently gave the players suspensions of three months and 10 days and fined the pair €10,000.

The reason for their punishment was for not alerting authorities to potential match-fixing while at Bari between 2008 and 2011, with the club set to start the season on -1 due to the case.
Davide Lanzafame, who spent last season on loan at Hungarian side Honved and is now a free agent, has been slammed with a 16-month ban and a €40,000 fine for sporting fraud.
The prosecution, headed by federal prosecutor Stefano Palazzi, has also accused the parties implicated of throwing games against Sampdoria and Palermo to earn €140,000.
Former Bari goalkeeper Jean-Francis Gillet faces a potential four-year ban as the trial continues in Italy.
In June, Italian football hit the headlines for the wrong reasons as 18 Serie A clubs were raided by police over money laundering suspicions.

AJAX STEP UP CHASE OF BARCELONA FROWARD

Frank de Boer has revealed that Ajax are very interested in signing Barcelona forward Bojan Krkic this summer.

The attacker, 22, spent last season on loan at AC Milan from Roma, scoring three goals in 19 Serie A appearances, but has returned to Barca as part of the deal made in 2011 with the Giallorossi.

After the departure of wide players Ryan Babel and Miralem Sulejmani from the Amsterdam club, De Boer believes Bojan would help bolster their attack.

"He’s a quality player who knows what it’s like to perform at the highest level," the Ajax coach told Voetbal International.

"Bojan is a roving attacker like a Viktor Fischer-type. He’s not a real right winger like Isaac Cuenca, but I would like to have him."

The Spaniard has also received interest from PSV and Feyenoord, but De Boer believes Ajax’s assurance of playing Champions League football would be appealing and cites the club’s strong relationship with the forward as a reason they have an edge on other suitors.

"I myself have talked to him," the 43-year-old added. "He has long been in the picture for us. We have had years of contact with his father. It would surprise me if he chooses another Dutch club to Ajax."

Bojan's agent has exclaimed that the Barca player has is sight set on the Eredivisie and that it will be up to him to choose where he wants to play.

"Bojan only wants to go to the Netherlands," Alexander Bursac said. "A club like Real Betis doesn’t have a chance. There are many reasons [why he wants to go to Netherlands].

"All three clubs [PSV, Feyenoord and Ajax] have positive and negative points. He’s got a good impression of the coaches of the clubs."

Barcelona’s wealth of attacking options have forced Bojan to look elsewhere for first-team football this coming season.

SAMBA COMPLETE RETURN TO ANZHI

Christopher Samba has returned to Anzhi Makhachkala from QPR, both clubs have confirmed.

The R's revealed on their official website that they have received an undisclosed club record fee for the defender, believed to be roughly €14 million, who only joined the club in the January transfer window from the Russian club.

Samba, thought to have earned over €100,000 per week at the west London club, often failed to live up to expectations at Loftus Road and was badly at fault for two of Fulham's goals in a crucial 3-2 defeat against the Cottagers in April.

The Congolese centre-back made just 10 appearances for Harry Redknapp's side after he was signed to help the club battle, unsuccessfully, against relegation.

Instead, the club are now looking to get some of their highest earners off the books, with Jay Bothroyd and Djibril Cisse already departing QPR, while Julio Cesar and Adel Taarabt are both available for transfer.

NEYMAR AND JORDI ALBA UNDERGO SURGERY

Barcelona stars Neymar and Jordi Alba underwent successful surgery on Friday to remove their tonsils, the club have confirmed.

The operations were scheduled by the club in the hopes of solving recurring tonsillitis problems suffered by the duo.

The Catalans stated that the operations went according to plan and revealed that they would be out of action for less than a fortnight.

"This Friday, Neymar and Jordi Alba underwent successful operations for their tonsillitis problems which have happened repeatedly in recent weeks," the club revealed on their official site.

"The recovery time for both players is expected to be around 10 days."

The players had to wait until the completion of the Confederations Cup - in which Neymar's Brazil beat Jordi Alba's Spain 3-0 in the final - to have their surgery.

USA STAR COY OVER SUNDERLAND MOVE

AZ Alkmaar striker Jozy Altidore is remaining coy on talk linking him with a possible move to Sunderland.

Sunderland have had a bid rejected by AZ for the American international as Paolo Di Canio looks to bolster his attacking options.

Altidore, who has already had a spell in England with Hull City in 2009, enjoyed the best season of his career last term after scoring 23 league goals for AZ.
Italian side Lazio have also been linked with Altidore and, although the 23-year-old is refusing to give anything away about his future, he has hinted he would consider a move to Sunderland.
"It is better for me not to comment on all the rumors, not only with Sunderland, but also with other clubs," said Altidore.
"It would not be a problem for me to stay at Alkmaar because I am having a good time here and I have had two good seasons.
"I have not had any problems with my team-mates and I feel fine here.
"But when you get the possibility to play somewhere else, you always have to think about it.
"In general, you might be happy in your job and you don't think about leaving it.
"But if you have the opportunity to work somewhere else, you will think about it."

PAZZINI DISMISSES TALK OF NAPOLI MOVE

Giampaolo Pazzini has dismissed talk of a move to Napoli, pointing out that the Partenopei do not need him and that he is perfectly happy at AC Milan.

The Italy international has been one of several forwards touted as a possible replacement for Edinson Cavani, who seems set to leave the San Paolo this summer, with Paris Saint-Germain now leading the chase for the Uruguayan.

However, Pazzini, who was also linked with the Partenopei during the January transfer window, insists that he is going nowhere.

"There are already great strikers at Napoli," the 28-year-old striker told Radio CRC. "They don't need me.

"I know that this has been a soap opera that has been going on for a while, but believe me, I'm happy at Milan."

Indeed, Pazzini claims that his only concern at the moment is recovering from the knee injury he sustained at the end of last season to give him a boost of making Italy's World Cup 2014 squad.

"I'm working to get back, but it will take patience to get there," the former Inter attacker explained. "But I'm confident. At the end of the month I will make another visit [to the doctors] and then we will know something more.

"I hope to be there for the World Cup, but we will see what happens."

Pazzini, who scored 15 goals in 30 appearances for the Rossoneri last season, is expected to be out for at least another four months.

GALLIANI: BALOTELLI IS UNTRANSFERABLE

AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani considers enigmatic striker Mario Balotelli to be 'untransferable'.
The Rossoneri swooped to take Balotelli back to Serie A in January after reaching an agreement with Manchester City for the former Inter Milan forward.

He has settled quickly back at San Siro, netting 12 times in 13 appearances during the second half of the 2012/13 campaign.

Balotelli has quickly become a fans' favorite, as much for his antics off the field as on it, and Galliani claims he can already claim to be an 'icon' in Italian football.
At just 22 years of age it remains to be seen how long the fiery frontman will stick around in Milan, but it has been made clear to any potential suitors that they would need to piece together a record-breaking transfer package in order to secure his services.
Galliani said of Balotelli: "He's absolutely untransferable. He is our icon.
"The only way that changes is if someone arrived with an offer of €150million (£129m) and you can't refuse."
Galliani has also been discussing the future of Urby Emanuelson - who spent the second half of last season on loan at Fulham - and Robinho, who could return to Santos this summer and free up space for another forward to come in.
He added: "There are lots of negotiations opened. Emanuelson could stay. We will talk with him and the coach.
"Robinho? We have made our last request and have gone under €10million. We can't go any lower.
"If he leaves, we will sign another young striker. (Fiorentina's Adem) Ljajic is in our thoughts, (Keisuke) Honda too. I don't know if we will buy Ljajic or someone else. We definitely won't be buying a striker aged 32."

LILLE SIGN WOLFSBURG DEFENDER

Lille have announced the signing of defender Simon Kjaer from Wolfsburg for an undisclosed fee.

The Denmark international has penned a four-year contract with les Dogues and the centre-half is excited by the challenge of trying to prove himself in France.

"Let me first say that I am really happy to join the club," the 24-year-old told his new club's official website. "I sincerely hope that we can enjoy a good season together and that, at the end of it, everyone will be satisfied with the results.

"I do not forget that Lille did the double two years ago, so we have to help find a way back into Europe, either in the Champions League or Europa League.

"I want to show my very best qualities here and I hope this will be a great experience in my career."

As well as Denmark and Germany, Kjaer has also plied his trade in Italy, having enjoyed spells with Palermo and Roma.

GETAFE MAKE BID FOR MADRID STRIKER

Getafe president Angel Torres has confirmed that the club have made an offer for Real Madrid's Alvaro Morata -  but admitted that he does not think los Blancos will be willing part company with the striker.

The 20-year-old forward, who is valued in the region of €10 million, scored two goals in 12 Liga appearances last season before playing a starring role in Spain's triumph at last month's European Under-21 championship.

Consequently, while Torres would love to see Morata at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez next season, he does not expect Madrid will come to the negotiating table.

“We made a request to Real Madrid,” the Getafe chief told reporters on Friday. “But I think there’s very little chance of him joining.

“After last season he deserves a place in their first team.”

Morata,who is a product of Atletico Madrid's youth academy, was top scorer at the Euros, scoring four goals for the victorious Rojita and has a contract at the Santiago Bernabeu until 2015.

UPDATED PREMIER LEAGUE TRANSFERS (SIGNINGS) -- 5TH JULY, 2013

Arsenal

Yaya Sanogo

Aston Villa

Jores Okore

Leandro Bacuna
Antonio Luna
Aleksandar Tonev
Nicklas Helenius
Andreas Cornelius

Chelsea

Marco van Ginkel

Crystal Palace

Dwight Gayle

Fulham

Sascha Riether
Derek Boateng
Fernando Amorebieta
Maarten Stekelenburg

Hull City

Curtis Davies
Maynor Figueroa
George Boyd
Ahmed Elmohamady
Allan McGregor

Liverpool

Simon Mignolet
Kolo Toure
Luis Alberto
Iago Aspas

Manchester City

Jesus Navas
Fernandinho

Manchester Utd

Guillermo Varela

Newcastle

Olivier Kemen

Norwich

Javier Garrido
Nathan Redmond
Ricky van Wolfswinkel

Southampton

Dejan Lovren

Stoke

Marc Muniesa
Erik Pieters
Cabral
Vito Mannone
Modibo Diakite
Valentin Roberge

Swansea

Gregor Zabret
Jonjo Shelvey
Alex Gogic
Jordi Amat
Jose Canas
Alejandro Pozuelo
Gregor Zabret
Jonathan de Guzman

Tottenham

Paulinho

West Bromwich

Nicolas Anelka

West Ham

      Adrian Castillo
      Razvan Rat
      Andy Carroll