Football transfer news

QPR manager Harry Redknapp has outlined the importance of strengthening his squad as he looks to lead his side to Premier League safety.

The Rs drew 1-1 with fellow top division outfit West Brom in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday and after the game, Redknapp admitted to reporters that his main priority is survival, which he hopes can be achieved with a few arrivals during the transfer window.

“We’ve got to pick up league points,” the 65-year-old asserted. 

“I’ll be flying all round the world to try to get one or two players if I can. That’s the key.

“We need to improve the squad. I’ll be doing everything I can to do that. We have to do business somewhere even if it’s loans. We are short in certain areas. The team needs picking up.”

Redknapp is known to be keen to strengthen his striking options, with Djbrill Cisse struggling for goals this season, while Bobby Zamora and Andrew Johnson continue to be hampered by long-term injuries.

However, after an impressive goalscoring spell out on loan at Ipswich Town, the ex-Tottenham manager has welcomed back DJ Campbell into the fold and awarded him a start against West Brom.

“I’ve had seven or eight clubs in for DJ Campbell from the Championship,” Redknapp continued.

“He gives everything. I like him a lot as a lad. He has got a good attitude. He will be handy for us. I wish I had had him here a month ago.”

Fenerbahce have released a statement on their official website stressing that they have not agreed terms with Montpellier midfielder Younes Belhanda over a January transfer.

A number of reports earlier this weekend claimed that the Morocco international was on his way to Istanbul, but Fenerbahce have made it clear that an agreement is still far away.

“There is no truth in the reports suggesting that we have agreed terms with Montpellier over the transfer of Younes Belhanda,” the statement reads.

“We are working on our transfer strategy with head coach Aykut Kocaman’s wishes in mind, but have not completed any deal yet.”

The 22-year-old has developed into one of the stars of Ligue 1 in recent years and was linked with a move to Premier League outfit Tottenham earlier in December, prior to the latest round of speculation.

He has a contract with MHSC until the summer of 2014.

Juventus boss Antonio Conte has admitted he would be surprised if Fernando Llorente were to leave Athletic Bilbao for the Serie A champions in the January transfer window.

The Basque side announced last week that the striker is in talks with the Bianconeri over a Bosman move at the end of the season, but Conte remains keen to add Llorente to his squad this winter, as exclusively revealed by Goal.com.

Nevertheless, the 43-year-old believes Juve face a tough task to get their man halfway through the season.

“I would be surprised if Llorente were to arrive at Juventus in the next few weeks as he still has a contract with Athletic,” Conte said at a press conference.

“He is a great player, though. He has represented Spain at international level and done a great job at Athletic. He is an interesting option for us as he is going to be a free transfer.

“We will see whether he decides to join Juventus.”

Llorente has scored only once in 11 Liga appearances this term, and has largely been restricted to warming the bench at Bilbao following his announcement that he will not extend his expiring contract.

Wolfsburg have confirmed they have secured the services of Ivan Perisic from Borussia Dortmund for a fee believed to be in the region of €7.5 million.

The 23-year-old has signed a contract until June 2017 with his new club and could well be the perfect addition with Wolfe keen to add depth to their attack.

“We are very pleased that we have signed Ivan Perisic. After the capture of [head coach] Dieter Hecking, this is yet another important move for VfL,” said sporting director Klaus Allofs to the official Wolfsburg website.

“We will have even more attacking options with Ivan. He fits in perfectly here and in the coach’s philosophy.”

Perisic had joined Dortmund from Club Brugge in the summer of 2011, but failed to secure regular first team action at BVB, and will now be looking to relaunch his career at Wolfsburg.

“I am very pleased that we have found an agreement and I’m proud to have joined Wolfsburg. I will give my all for the club and hope that we can be successful together,” he added.

The Croatia international will wear the No.9 jersey at his new club, and has already joined his new team-mates at their training camp in Belek, Turkey.

Bayer Leverkusen defender Daniel Carvajal has admitted that a return to Real Madrid at the end of the 2012-13 campaign would be “a dream come true”.

The 20-year-old left the Santiago Bernabeu side at the start of the season to try his luck in the Bundesliga and has since impressed with a number of fine performances.

Madrid included a buy-back option when selling the right-back, and a number of recent reports have suggested that the Blancos are ready to exercise their right, much to the delight of Carvajal.

“It isn’t true that there’s already an agreement, but obviously it would be a dream come true to return to Real Madrid,” the defender told Marca.

Carvajal has made 18 official appearances for Leverkusen, scoring once in the process.