MADRID SIGN REAL SOCIEDAD MIDFIELDER

Real Madrid have signed Real Sociedad midfielder Asier Illarramendi after agreeing to meet the Spain Under-21 international's buy-out clause.
Sociedad announced Friday that Madrid had informed the Liga de Futbol Profesional (Spanish Football League) they would pay the clause, reported to be 39million euros ($50.85m), to bring the 23-year-old to the Bernabeu.

The two clubs had been in negotiations regarding a fee for a player Madrid believe to be the long-term replacement for Xabi Alonso in a defensive midfield role, but had failed to find a resolution.
A Madrid statement read: "Real Madrid have signed Asier Illarramendi, who is now tied to the club for the next six seasons.
"The player will be presented tomorrow after undergoing the relevant medical tests."

Illarramendi rose to prominence as a key man at Sociedad last season, playing an important part as the San Sebastian club finished fourth in the Primera Division, securing a place in the Champions League in the process.
He then played every game as Spain Under-21s won the European Under-21 Championship in Israel earlier this summer.
He becomes Madrid's fourth signing of the summer, after fellow Spaniards Isco and Dani Carvajal joined from Malaga and Bayer Leverkusen respectively, and the club made their loan move for Brazilian midfielder Casemiro permanent.

PELLEGRINI HINTS AT IMMINENT SIGNING

New Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has hinted the club may be about to announce a new signing in the next 24 hours.
Pellegrini is with the City squad in South Africa for a mini pre-season tour ahead of the Barclays Asia Trophy in Hong Kong.

The Chilean's first match in charge in charge of the Citizens will be against Supersport United in Pretoria on Sunday, followed by another in Durban next Thursday.
Pellegrini is also looking to strengthen his squad and has suggested there may be transfer news imminent, although he is not certain and did not discuss specific targets.
He said: "We don't know at this moment who is going to come here.
"We are trying to bring the best players into our squad. I am always open to young players, and to good players.
"I don't know if anything will happen before we leave South Africa, but maybe the next day we will have fresh news."

VALENCIA SIGN CHELSEA MIDFIELDER

Chelsea midfielder Oriel Romeu has joined La Liga outfit Valencia on a season-long loan.
More details to follow;

RODGERS: REINA MUST ACCEPT MIGNOLET RIVALRY

Brendan Rodgers says creating competition for places is key to Liverpool’s summer plans and feels Simon Mignolet's arrivals will improve Pepe Reina’s performances.

Mignolet moved to Anfield from Sunderland for a reported £9 million fee in June before outlining his ambition to usurp the current No.1 - who has missed just 20 league games in eight seasons.

"That was the idea for the summer [competition for places]," Rodgers told talkSPORT.


"Our recruitment team did a brilliant job when we sat down at the end of the last season on where we can strengthen the squad and build that competition in the group. We were very thin in the group last year.”

"Simon Mignolet's been a top keeper for the last few seasons now in the Premier League and Pepe Reina's been here for a number of years and been an outstanding keeper but in every position on the field there has to be competition to push people's performances."

Rodgers, although, has no regrets regarding the departure of Andy Carroll to West Ham, insisting his now-permanent departure has aided Luis Suarez's attacking output.

"That was a decision that needed to be made,” he said. "Luis benefited from that and went on to have a terrific season.

"Andy went out and did really well on loan and obviously [West Ham manager Sam Allardyce] came in and wanted to buy him.

“He's a good, big guy, he'll go away and do really well for West Ham. As a manager you have to make a decision and that's what I did."

AC MILAN ANNNOUCE POLI SIGNING

AC Milan have announced they have secured the signing of Andrea Poli from Sampdoria on a co-ownership deal for an undisclosed fee, with Bartosz Salamon moving in the opposite direction.

The 23-year-old had already been training with Milan since the start of the week, but the transfer had yet to be finalised as both clubs were still in talks over Poland international Salamon.

However, after an agreement was finally reached, Poli has signed a four-year deal with the Rossoneri to wrap up the deal, with the club confirming the news on their official website.

Poli is a product of the Treviso youth academy, but joined Sampdoria at the age of 18. He had since developed into a key player at the Genoa side, making close to 100 official appearances in the past few years.

The Italy international previously wore the jersey of Milan's arch-rivals Inter in 2011-12, but the Nerazzurri opted not to use their option to buy the midfielder after his loan spell.

RODGERS FIGHTING TO KEEP SUAREZ

Brendan Rodgers has revealed he is in regular contact with wantaway Luis Suarez as he steps up his bid to persuade the controversial striker to remain at Liverpool.

The Uruguay international informed the Reds of his desire to leave Anfield this summer, with Arsenal preparing a €40 million bid.

However, Rodgers does not want to sell the 26-year-old and is determined to keep him at Anfield ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign.

"At the moment he’s on a break, we’re in constant communication," Rodgers told talkSPORT. "He’s got three years left on his contract, we don’t want to sell him. We think we can put up a real fight next season.

"I spoke to Luis, of course over the last few months, there have been a lot of speculation over his situation, the fact remains the same we value the player, he had a terrific season for us last year, and showed us his quality."

Suarez received a 10-match domestic ban for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic towards the end of last season, while the previous campaign he received an eight-game suspension for racial abuse.

But Rodgers has insisted that despite his various controversies, Suarez is a top player and is committed to Liverpool.

"That’s something we’ve stressed, what he did was wrong at the end of last season," he added. "That’s the bottom line you can’t do that on the football pitch, but we’ve moved on from that.

"He’s a real competitor, he’s a winner, he wants Liverpool to do well, he wants to be working at the real high level."

JUVENTUS BOSS: NAPOLI BETTER WITHOUT CAVANI

Juventus coach Antonio Conte believes that Napoli will be a stronger team without Edinson Cavani amid reports that the Uruguay international is on his way to Paris Saint-Germain.

The 26-year-old netted 29 goals in 34 Serie A appearances to help Napoli to second place in the table last term, yet Conte feels the Partenopei will only benefit from a potential summer transfer.

"I think PSG paying €63million for Cavani is a gift to Napoli," Conte said at a press conference.

"I would have preferred the 'Matador' to stay at Napoli. With him, we normally always beat them. Napoli will reinvest that €63m.

"Moreover, now they have Rafa Benitez. He has won everything as a coach and for me is underrated."

Assessing the Bianconeri's other rivals ahead of the new season, Conte highlighted Inter, AC Milan and Fiorentina as the other major threats to his side's Scudetto crown.

"Inter have a great coach and Milan only lost once in the second half of last season," Conte continued.

"Fiorentina are also becoming a great side with Mario Gomez coming in.

"The arrival of Rudi Garcia will help Roma. He did very well in France."

Juventus will be gunning for their third consecutive Serie A title this season after clinching the Scudetto both in 2012 and 2013.

BARCELONA ISSUE STATEMENT OVER GAURDIOLA RAGE

Barcelona have insisted that they never used Tito Vilanova's illness to attack Pep Guardiola in the wake of the Bayern Munich coach's outburst on Thursday.

The 42-year-old launched a scathing attack on Barca president Sandro Rosell at a press conference this week, accusing him of using Vilanova's health problems as a means of painting him "in a negative light."

Nevertheless, the Catalans have quickly hit back at the current Bayern coach via Jordi Cardoner, vice-president of the club’s Area Social.

"We have never used Tito's illness for anything," Cardoner was quoted as saying by Sport.

The relationship between Guardiola and Barcelona could turn even more sour if the Bayern coach succeeds in luring Thiago Alcantara away from his former club.

Guardiola admitted on Thursday that he is keen to bring the 22-year-old to the Bundesliga and Bayern are ready to meet the Spain international's €18 million buy-out clause, although they face stiff competition for his signature from Manchester United.

Thiago has a contract with Barcelona until the summer of 2015, but the failure to participate for a stipulated amount of minutes in 2012-13 has seen his exit clause plummet from €90 million to an attractive €18m.

However, his minimum fee release clause returns to €90m on August 1.

BOLOGNA WARN JUVENTUS OVER DIAMANTI DEAL

Bologna president Albano Guaraldi has warned Juventus that a deal for Alessandro Diamanti will have to be completed by Monday or the Italy international will be taken off the market.

The Serie A champions have long been linked with a move for the attacking midfielder as they look to bolster their squad for the 2013-14 campaign.

However, they have yet to reach an agreement with Bologna about a summer move and his current club have now set Juventus an ultimatum to wrap up the transfer.

"Juventus have until Monday to complete the signing of Diamanti. If the deal's not done by then, he will stay with Bologna," Guaraldi was quoted as saying by Tuttosport.

"We will not let last year's situation with Gaston Ramirez repeat itself this season. Once our training camp begins, Diamanti will be off the market."

Bologna lost Ramirez to Southampton in the closing stages of last year's summer transfer window.

Diamanti, 30, has a contract with Bologna until June 2017.

MAZZARRI: I MADE CAVANI A STAR

Walter Mazzarri believes that Edinson Cavani would not have become the star he is today were it not for his guidance at Napoli.

The Uruguay international, 26, joined the Partenopei from Palermo in the summer of 2010 and has since developed into one of the most sought-after players in Europe, with Paris Saint-Germain ready to pay €63 million for his services.

Nevertheless, Mazzarri has insisted that Cavani was nowhere near his current level some three years ago and has the new Inter coach and his staff to thank for his rise to prominence.

"The young players I had at Napoli became top players thanks to the work we did," Mazzarri said at a press conference.

"Cavani too, he was an average player when he arrived and at Napoli he turned into the Cavani he is today."

The 51-year-old voiced his confidence that his spell at Inter will be a success, insisting he has never before failed to meet the demands of a club.

"I've always achieved the targets I've been set," he continued. "I think the players should trust me and we can try to fulfil our potential on the pitch. My focus is always on the next game and the next three points."

Inter finished a lowly ninth in last season's Serie A, leading to the dismissal of Mazzarri's predecessor Andrea Stramaccioni.