Football transfer news

Chelsea have confirmed that Ryan Bertrand has signed a new five-year deal with the club.The left-back has been at the Blues since 2005, when he joined their academy from Gillingham, but didn’t make his debut until 2011 after five separate loan spells to the lower leagues.

The 23-year-old is seen as a long-term replacement for full-back Ashley Cole but has recently been given a more attacking role on the left-wing, a position he played in his biggest game for Chelsea – the Champions League final, and his European debut, against Bayern Munich.

Bertrand has now made 15 starts for the Stamford Bridge outfit, adding four more appearances from the substitutes’ bench, while playing a role in the club’s impressive start to this season’s Premier League.

The player’s form and continued selection saw him make Stuart Pearce’s Team GB Olympic squad for the Games this summer, before also being his England debut by Roy Hodgson in a friendly victory over Italy in August.

More to follow…

Barcelona vice-president Josep Bartomeu has revealed that AC Milan have an option to make Bojan Krkic’s stay at the club permanent at the end of the season.

The attacker joined the Rossoner from Roma on a one-year loan deal in the summer transfer window after moving to the Giallorossi from Camp Nou a year before, but the Catalans have a contractual obligation to re-purchase the 22-year-old in the summer of 2013.

Nevertheless, Bojan could very well stay at Milan if the club opt to exercise their option to buy, and Barcelona decide not to block the move.

“We sold Bojan to Roma for €12 million, and are obliged to re-sign him for €13m in the summer of 2013. However, Roma then decided to send him on loan to Milan,” Bartomeu stated at a press conference.

“Milan really wanted an option to make Bojan’s stay at the club permanent. So Milan have the option to buy him at the end of the season, when he is due to return to Barca.

“However, we can block Milan’s option to sign him. I can not not disclose any more information on this, though, as Milan have asked for it to remain confidential.”

Bojan made his official debut at the weekend in the 3-1 away win over Bologna.

Manchester City’s deadline day recruit Javi Garcia believes he has joined the top team in the Premier League, suggesting they also have the quality to get out of their tough Champions League group.

Goal.com exclusively revealed that City had agreed an €22 million fee for the 25-year-oldafter Roberto Mancini missed out on other central midfield targets Daniele De Rossi, who stayed at Roma, and Javi Martinez, who joined Bayern Munich.

The former Real Madrid man is set to face his former club with City, when they travel to the Bernabeu in two weeks’ time for their first Champions League fixture this season.

The Spaniard admitted that with Dutch and German champions Ajax and Borussia Dortmund making up the group, his new team-mates face a big task in progressing, but insisted that as one best teams in Europe they can compete with anyone.

He told reporters: “Without a doubt, I’m at the biggest club in England and one of the biggest in Europe.

“So I’m very proud but also aware that I’m joining a great side full of top players.

“The Champions League group is a tough one but it’ll be a lot of fun.

“The Real Madrid game is a great way to start out but we have the team and players to compete against any opposition.”

Mancini’s men will play a Premier League clash with Stoke City on September 15 in their next match after the international break, before facing the Spanish champions in their opening group game of this year’s competition for Europe’s elite three days later.

Brazilian club Santos have dismissed rumours that Manchester United made a lucrative offer for wonderkid Neymar on transfer deadline day.

Reports had suggested that the Red Devils were ready to splash €48.1 million for Neymar, who has scored 111 goals in 185 appearances for his club.

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understands that United were priced out of a move for the Brazil international, who has a €63.3m buy-out clause at Santos.

The Old Trafford outfit had previously pursued Neymar’s fellow countryman Lucas Moura earlier this summer but were unable raise funds for a €38m move for the Sao Paulo attacker.

However after the playmaker joined big-spenders PSG, who also signed the likes of Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic from AC Milan, the Premier League outfit reportedly turned their attention to Neymar and tabled a bid.

But Santos’ director of football Felipe Faro has denied the speculation, insisting he does not know where they rumours came from and revealing that no transfer offer was received.

He told Globo Esporte: “I have no idea where that came from, but it’s not true.”

The South American has consistently been linked with a move to La Liga duo Real Madrid and Barcelona ever since he exploded onto the scene in Brazil, but the player has always indicated that he is happy in his native homeland for now, with the club also delighted to keep hold on him.

His father, Neymar Santos, also laughed off the reports that he was the subject of an offer, joking: “Neymar was sold two years ago but we are still here.”

Jose Mourinho has named his squad for Real Madrid’s Champions League campaign, including both Ricardo Carvalho and Kaka, who were heavily linked with moves away from the club this summer.

New signing Luka Modric has been awarded a place, after his arrival from Tottenham, aswell as loan signing Michael Essien, who has rejoined his former manager from Chelsea.

Castilla players Nacho Fernandez and Denis Cheryshev also have been given a position in the squad.

Full squad list:

Name

Goalkeepers:

Iker Casillas

Adan

Jesus Fernandez

Defenders:

Pepe

Sergio Ramos

Fabio Coentrao

Ricardo Carvalho

Marcelo

Alvaro Arbeloa

Raul Albiol

Nacho Fernandez

Varane

Midfielders:

Sami Khedira

Kaka

Mesut Ozil

Xabi Alonso

Michael Essien

Juanfran

Luka Modric

Jose Callejon

Di Maria

Denis Cheryshev

Cristiano Ronaldo

Karim Benzema

Gonzola Higuain