A round-up of other soccer news in brief...
Fabiano tops AC Milan's list
Sevilla’s Brazil striker Luis Fabiano is AC Milan’s only remaining transfer target but the clubs are some way apart on valuation, the Italian team’s chief executive Adriano Galliani said yesterday. A move for Porto fullback Aly Cissokho collapsed after he failed a medical while VfL Wolfsburg refused to sell striker Edin Dzeko and interest in Real Madrid forward Klaas Jan Huntelaar has cooled.
Keane closing in on more signings
IPSWICH TOWN manager Roy Keane has revealed he is close to signing two more players.
Keane said: “We have agreed a price with two players who I hope to meet in the next 48 hours.
“At Sunderland I spent about £6 million when I first arrived, if I can spend about £6 million here and get this team promoted Ill be very pleased. There is also the option of one or two loan players.”
After Tuesday’s friendly with Finn Harps Keane said he had learned a lot about his players. “I’m taking stock very quickly of what we have and what we don’t have.”
Ipswich have signed Lee Martin, Damien Delaney and Troy Brown so far this summer.
United complete Obertan signing
MANCHESTER United have completed the signing of Frenchman Gabriel Obertan on a four-year contract, the Premier League champions said yesterday. The 20-year-old, who can play in a number of different attacking positions, has joined United from French club Girondins Bordeaux.
“Gabriel is a player we have tracked for a few years now, but because of his educational programme our efforts to get him here have always been delayed,” United manager Alex Ferguson said.
“We are delighted to get him now as he is an exciting prospect. We like to get young players and develop them and we will see that in Gabriel over the next two years.”
Celtic confirm Fortune deal
CELTIC last night confirmed the signing of Marc-Antoine Fortune from Nancy on a three-year contract. The 28-year-old French Guiana-born striker joins for an undisclosed fee, reportedly in the region of €4.5 million.
Fortune is Tony Mowbray’s first signing since he became Celtic manager, with the pair reunited after the forward spent the second half of last season on loan at West Brom. He is set to be joined on the trip by former Nancy team-mate Landry N’Guemo, with the French club announcing the midfielder has sealed a season-long loan to the Glasgow club, with the option of making the transfer permanent.
Stoke defender Andy Wilkinson and midfielder Salif Diao have both signed new contracts with the club. Wilkinson (24) has agreed a 12-month extension which will keep him at the club until at least 2012 while Diao, who was out of contract, will stay for another year.
Leeds disappointed as player leaves
LEEDS have confirmed that academy player Luke Garbutt (16) has joined Everton. The left-back had been linked repeatedly with a move to Goodison Park. “Leeds United made the player an exceptional offer to join the club initially as a scholar and then as a professional player. We’re disappointed that the player chose to join Everton. Leeds United are entitled to compensation and will also look into the circumstances surrounding his move,” Leeds said.
BIRMINGHAM manager Alex McLeish has cooled his interest in signing Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton. McLeish was considering the possibility of taking the player on loan for next season. But he was only one of several options being mulled over by the former Scotland boss and Newcastle would prefer a permanent deal for Barton.
McLeish has since signed Lee Bowyer on a free transfer from West Ham after a successful loan spell at St Andrews last season.
Sevilla sign Zokora from Spurs on four-year deal
SEVILLA have signed Tottenham’s Ivory Coast midfielder Didier Zokora for an undisclosed fee.
The move looked to have collapsed after Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido said they would not meet the valuation, but the deal was agreed yesterday.
Spurs manager Harry Redknapp has been hoping to recoup at least some of the €9.5 million they paid French club St Etienne for Zokora after the 2006 World Cup.
Zokora (28) made 134 appearances for Spurs and has signed a four-year deal, which includes a €30 million release clause.
The signing of Wilson Palacios from Wigan in January saw Zokora slip out of Redknapp’s starting line-up and he has completed 90 minutes in the league just three times since the Honduran’s arrival.
