Football News: Review Of The Day 11th January 2019

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Review of the Day

Transfers

Ben Purrington has joined League One's Charlton Athletic on loan from Rotherham United for the rest of the season. The 22 year old spent the first half of the season on loan with AFC Wimbledon, also of League One.

Mansfield Town are set to release goalkeeper Jake Kean when his short-term deal with the Stags runs out next week and have moved to replace him with Jordan Smith, on loan for the rest of the season from Nottingham Forest.

Free agent Republic of Ireland international Anthony Pilkington has signed an 18 month deal with Wigan Athletic. The 30 year old left Cardiff City by mutual consent, where he scored 23 goals in 111 appearances.

Dundee have completed the double signing of Andrew Davies and Seny Dieng. The 34 year old defender Davies has previously played for Ross County and has signed an 18 month deal after having his Hartlepool United contract ripped up. QPR goalkeeper Dieng has signed on loan for the rest of the season. Through the exit door at Dens Park was 22 year old midfielder Lewis Spence, who has joined Ross County, the Scottish Championship leaders.

Danish winger Danny Amankwaa has moved to Danish Superliga club SonderjyskE from Hearts in search of more first team football.

St Mirren have made some moves in the transfer market ahead of the second half of the season, releasing three players, selling one, loaning another out and bringing in one with an option to buy. Dean Lyness, Conor O'Keefe and Jeff King were all released. Cammy Smith was sold to Dundee United and Adam Eckersley has moved to Forfar Athletic on loan. Coming in to the club is Romanian centre back Mihai Popescu on loan with a view to a permanent move from Dinamo Bucharest.

Hamilton Academical will have to make do without 1 goal striker Fredrik Brustad for the rest of the season after parent club Molde recalled him early from his season-long loan. Accies have already lost another striker this January, after Mason Bloomfield was recalled by Norwich City before being sent to Fylde on loan instead.

Leicester City's Mali forward Fousseni Diabate has joined Turkish side Sivasspor on loan for the rest of the season. Diabate was hailed as the replacement for Riyad Mahrez when he arrived from Ajaccio in France's Ligue 2 last January, but has struggled to establish himself, despite scoring twice on his debut.

England U-20 international goalkeeper Ryan Schofield has joined Notts County on loan from Huddersfield Town, after signing a one year contract extension with the Terriers.

Burnley left-back Ali Koiki has joined League 2's Swindon Town on loan. This is the first time the 19 year old has headed out on loan from the Clarets.

Another full-back to make a loan move is Newcastle United's Liam Gibson, who has joined Accrington Stanley (who are they?) for the rest of the season. The 21 year old missed the whole of last season due to the bowel issue ulcerative colitis which needed 4 operations.

Udinese have taken Dutch left-back Marvin Zegelaar on loan from sister club Watford (or should that be parent club these days, as it seems they just get the cast offs from the Premier League side now).

Real Betis have splashed out nearly £20m to sign teenage Mexican winger Diego Lainez from Mexican Liga MX club America.

Minnesota United have signed Cuban midfielder Osvaldo Alonso on a free transfer from fellow MLS side Seattle Sounders.

Goztepe of the Turkish Super Lig have paid a £360,000 loan fee to take Serdar Gurler on loan from La Liga club SD Huesca.

AS Monaco manager Thierry Henry has continued to strengthen his relegation-threatened squad with the signing of LOSC Lille left-back Fode Ballo-Toure for a fee of nearly £10m.

Veteran English centre back Liam Ridgewell, who came through the youth ranks at Aston Villa, has been released by Portland Timbers.

Athletic Bilbao have paid Alaves just under £4m to sign their Spanish winger Ibai Gomez.

Leeds United midfielder Eunan O'Kane has returned to the club at the end of his loan spell with Luton Town.

Watford's former Liverpool striker Jerome Sinclair has also returned from a loan spell with a League One team. Sinclair was with Sunderland in the first half of the season.

Contracts

Former Fulham defender Tim Hoogland has signed a new contract with VfL Bochum. The veteran centre back has extended his deal by a year to run until 2020.

Irish midfielder James Chambers has signed on for another year with USL (America's second tier competition) side Bethlehem Steel.

Notts County full-back Cedric Evina has extended his contract until the end of the season.

Souare Ruled Out For Two Months

Crystal Palace left back Pape Souare has been ruled out for about 2 months after suffering a dislocated shoulder during Palace's 3rd Round FA Cup tie against Grimsby Town. The Senegalese full-back has found himself down the pecking order behind Patrick van Aanholt and struggled to get into the team this season.

January Transfers Difficult For Swans

Swansea City's relegation from the Premier League has made it difficult for the South Wales club to step into the January transfer market to bolster their squad according to their new manager Graham Potter. Despite offloading a number of senior players, Potter admits the financial status of the club will make it difficult for the team to be bolstered for a promotion push, as they sit in 12th place in the Championship. Potter told the BBC: "The reality of it is, there's a financial situation we have to deal with. There are always players you're aware you could go for - but it's not just a computer game, it's linked to the realities of the financial situation of the club which I'm not in total control of. That was never going to get fixed in one transfer window - we're still dealing with that now (the repercussions of Premier League relegation) and that makes it even more difficult to externally strengthen. We'll try to do our best, re-balance the team and players who need another challenge. There may be things there, but my number one focus is to work with the guys we have here and make improvements."

Watson Quits Gateshead

Steve Watson, the former Newcastle United defender, has resigned from the job of managing Gateshead to take up the same role at York City. York, who are a division below National League side Gateshead, are currently struggling in 16th place, and sacked previous manager Sam Collins after a defeat on Saturday. Watson leaves Gateshead in 8th place, just outside the play off places.

No Ken Do Winding Up Petition?

The feud between Forest Green Rovers' and Bolton Wanderers' chairman, Dale Vince and Ken Anderson, has continued for another day as Vince has said he is considering serving Bolton with a winding-up petition. Wanderers already face two such petitions, one from HMRC and the other from Stellar Football Ltd, a football agency, which represents four former Bolton players, Gary Madine, Tim Ream, Derik Osede and Rob Holding. Vince said: "I think a winding-up petition may be possible. If not, it could be a simple pursuit through the High Court for a breach of contract. Quite what legal route we take will be decided in the next few days - it doesn't really matter. There are debts and problems all around the club and all around Ken - it's just a big mess. I think the football authorities need to get involved in this before a fantastic club goes down."

Mothers Have No Luton Approach

Motherwell have denied receiving any approach from Luton Town to speak to their manager Stephen Robinson. Northern Irishman Robinson has been installed as the favourite with bookmakers to replace Nathan Jones, who took charge at Stoke City during the week. Robinson, and the Motherwell team, are currently away in Tenerife doing warm weather training.

FIFA Step In To Namibia

FIFA have appointed a 'normalisation committee' to run the Namibian Football Association and organise new executive committee elections before 31st May, after the planned elections (intended to be held on 5th December last year) never took place. None of the committee members will be eligible for any of the positions involved in the polls.

Batman Set For Stamford Bridge Return

Spongebob Squarepants biggest fan, Michy Batshuayi is set to return to Chelsea in the January transfer window after Valencia admitted his loan deal is set to be terminated early. The Spanish side's general director Mateu Alemany said: "His situation is very clear. I expect he will leave in the coming hours or days. We hope that, for his sake, this can be resolved as soon as possible. He is leaving and it's now a matter of negotiation." Batshuayi's loan has not been a success with the striker taken off at half-time at the weekend during Valencia's 2-1 Copa del Rey defeat to Sporting Gijon.

Ranieri Wants Leader In January

Fulham manager Claudio Ranieri wants a leader to be signed to give his struggling Londoners a chance of avoiding relegation this season. The Cottagers are 4 points from safety and went out of the FA Cup to a League 2 side on Sunday. Ranieri is desperately searching for reinforcements, despite the club having spent heavily in the summer, before he arrived. Ranieri said: "We have to sign somebody to survive and it would be a very good boost for all my players. I need somebody who can help us; I need somebody. We have a very good team, but without experience. We need somebody who has experience, a leader, with good character, that's his personality, then we can improve our team. I think we are open-minded, I speak every day with Tony, and I hope we achieve what we are thinking. We are looking in every direction and we'll see what happens. The market is open and we're ready to take someone who can help Fulham."

Sterling Writes To Racially Abused Youngster

England star Raheem Sterling, who recently suffered racial abuse on the pitch, has written a letter of support to a young Manchester City fan after the youngster's grandmother had revealed he was having a "tough time" because of abuse. Sterling wrote: "Stand tall, don't let them take away your courage. You are strong and very brave and your nanna is also very proud of you. Keep being you kid."

Vlasic Hits Out At Allardyce's 'Football'

Eveton forward Nikola Vlasic, currently on loan with CSKA Moscow, has said what we all were saying last season, that Sam Allardyce's tenure in charge of the Toffees was marked by terrible football, despite the team's top half finish. Vlasic said: "The team was terrified by everything, the fans mostly. Everything changed after Koeman left. The football played by 'Big Sam' was awful, if it could even be called football. This season, Marco Silva plays different, much nicer football, but has not got results. It is true that Everton did not make an expected breakthrough but at least fans now look at the normal football in which the guys, through their actions, are trying to score and win." Vlasic also said he does not see a future for himself at Goodison Park: "I expect them to sell me as soon as they get their first bid. Everton paid about £90m on only three players - Richarlison, Mina and Digne - and is therefore looking for great names and players from big clubs, like Barcelona. When you bring three players out of Barcelona in a few days [Mina, Digne and loanee Andre Gomes] then it's clear that you do not have much care for those who came from the small league."

Deeney Facing FA Charge

Troy Deeney has been charged by the Football Association over post-match comments he made to the BBC's Match of the Day following the 3-3 draw with Bournemouth. Deeney accused the referee of 'bottling' decisions on a few occasions in the match.

Austin Gets 2 Match Ban

Southampton's oft-injured striker Charlie Austin is set to miss two more games, though this time not through injury. The 29 year old admitted making an abusive gesture towards both of Manchester City's fans as he was subbed off during the match between Saints and Man City at St Mary's. Austin is set for a return to face Everton in Soton's next home league match.

Emery Only Has Loans Available In January

Arsenal manager Unai Emery has announced that the club has no money for permanent signings in the January transfer window and will be limited to loan moves, after he was asked about the rumours of the Gunners bringing in Denis Suarez from Barcelona. Emery said: "I don't know now his [Suarez's] situation but we can only sign on a loan. We cannot sign permanently. We can only loan players."

Arnautovic Wants China Move

The agent (and brother) of West Ham United forward Marko Arnautovic has said that the Austrian international wants to move to China and would like the Hammers to accept the offer currently on the table from an unnamed Chinese club. West Ham have ruled out selling their star man with a spokesperson saying: "Marko has a contract and we fully expect him to honour it. He is not for sale."

Police Issue Warrant For Ronaldo's DNA Sample

Las Vegas police investigating an alleged rape committed by Juventus megastar Cristiano Ronaldo have issued a warrant for the 33 year old's DNA, something the forward's lawyer has called a "very standard request". Ronaldo denies raping Kathryn Mayorga in a Las Vegas hotel in 2009, maintaining that what occurred was consensual and that a non-disclosure agreement that he paid her $375,000 to sign was not an admission of guilt.

Written by Tris Burke January 11 2019 06:35:18