Roque Mesa has completed a permanent move from Swansea City to Sevilla.
The 29-year-old midfielder spent the second half of the 2017-18 season on loan at the LaLiga side after struggling to make an impact during his time in south Wales.
Mesa joined Swansea from Las Palmas for a reported fee of €12.5million in July 2017 but made just 11 Premier League appearances while at the Liberty Stadium.
He featured seven times for Sevilla including starting their last two league fixtures during his temporary spell, but has now signed a three-year contract after completing a medical.
Everyone at Swansea City would like to thank Roque for his services and wish him well for the future, Swansea said in a statement on their website.
— Sevilla FC (@S…
Bayern Munich are set to sign Philippe Coutinho on a season-long loan from Barcelona and the deal includes an option to buy the playmaker, Hasan Salihamidzic has confirmed.
Coutinho was not involved as LaLiga champions Barca suffered a surprise opening-day defeat to Athletic Bilbao on Friday, with the club s official spokesman Guillermo Amor announcing prior to kick-off an agreement had been reached to send the former Liverpool man to Bayern.
Bayern got off to a similarly sluggish start to their Spanish counterparts, drawing 2-2 at home to Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga curtain raiser.
After the clash at Allianz Arena, Bayern sporting director Salihamidzic – who also revealed Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Mickael Cuisance will be joining the Bundesli…
Venezuela join Spain in the World Youth Championship 2009 round of sixteen following an 8-0 victory over Tahiti, for whom the tournament is all but over.
The Venezuelans went ahead through Jose Rondon in the 4th minute, and Jose Velazquez made it 2-0 in the 19th.
A foul from Stephane Faatiarau in the 26th minute had a red card and a penalty as result, and Rondon made no mistake from the spot for a 3-0 lead. Ten minutes later, Tahiti lost another player as Garry Rochette picked up a second yellow card.
It took until minute 72 for Venezuela to take more advantage of the situation, with Oscar Rojas finding the target for 4-0. Yonatan del Valle then netted a hat-trick, with goals in minute 78, 88 and 90.
Rondon completed his hat-trick as well, scoring for 8-…
Nigeria could take a huge step toward securing a place at the 2014 World Cup by beating Namibia away from home on Wednesday.
Stephen Keshi s side currently hold a two-point lead in CAF qualification group F and, should they win in Windhoek, may only need to avoid defeat against second-placed Malawi in September to reach Brazil.
Nigeria have won just two of their four qualification games thus far, but also boast an unbeaten record during that period.
One of those victories came in their home meeting with Namibia, as a late goal from Ikechukwu Uche helped the hosts to three points back in June.
Namibia have won, drawn and lost in their three qualifying fixtures since then, and sit four points short of top spot in Group F as a result.
However, they could blow the group wide…
Vincenzo Montella refused to reveal how he turned around AC Milan s fortunes at half-time of their enthralling 2-2 Serie A draw at Torino.
The Milan head coach was frustrated to see his side only perform in the second half in Turin on Monday, despite an impressive comeback that saw them rescue an unlikely point.
Torino were rampant in the first half Andrea Belotti and Marco Benassi scoring but Adem Ljajic then had a penalty saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
That gave Montella the opportunity to rally his players at the break and Milan were level by the hour mark thanks to Andrea Bertolacci s strike and Carlos Bacca netting a penalty of his own.
I don t like to speak publicly about private matters, so what I said stays in the dressing room, Montella tol…
Zinedine Zidane has shown no desire to coach France s national team after leaving Real Madrid and Didier Deschamps will continue until at least 2020, according to French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet.
Zidane quit his post at Madrid in late May after guiding the club to a third successive Champions League title, sparking rumours linking him with the national team.
That reportedly left Deschamps position prior to France s successful World Cup campaign somewhat insecure, with many fans and pundits adamant he was not the right man to get the best out of the exciting, youthful team.
Deschamps pragmatism was the problem according to some, though that very approach was arguably vital to France winning the World Cup.
Unforgettable scenes
…
You would never have known Kane was finding it tough given his performances on the pitch, scoring 28 goals in his first 27 games for Bayern.
“It wasn’t easy, the first four or five months being in the hotel and being away from the family,” he told the PA news agency.
“That was for sure difficult so I was proud of the way I was still able to perform on the pitch in those circumstances.
“We’ve had a good winter break and everyone came back with me, the kids are in school, we have got the house.
“Month by month it starts to feel more like home, you meet parents at school, my wife is meeting new friends and you just start to meet new people and see new things.
“Everyone has been fantastic, all the fans here, the club have been great an…
Greece coach Otto Rehhagel on Tuesday strongly denied reports that he had held contract talks with the Greek Football Federation (EPO).
It is not normal for me to talk about press reports, but I am obliged to do so because what was written about me talking to the president of the federation about my contract, and in which I was not happy, is totally false, the German insisted.
Rehhagel added: We did not talk about a renewal of my contract nor about financial terms.
I am confounded because we are in preparation for the World Cup now and that it the only thing which concerns me and the matches we will be giving in South Africa.
On Monday the 71-year-old met with EPO president Sofocles Pilavios and no statement was issued afterwards, leading to Greek rep…
Southampton striker Jay Rodriguez has signed a new contract with the Premier League club until 2019.
The 25-year-old recently returned to training following over a year on the sidelines due an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Rodriguez had been strongly linked with a move away from St Mary s Stadium at the end of the season, but the former Burnley man put pen to paper on a new deal on Tuesday.
He told the club s official YouTube channel: I m delighted. It s a great club and we ve done amazingly this year.
It s been a tough year for myself being out, but I m really delighted to sign the contract. It s now about looking forward to the future.
The medical staff have all worked tirelessly with me, so this is great news. I just want to carry on i…
Manchester United s success under Alex Ferguson was down to the former manager s intense demands of his animal players, Rio Ferdinand revealed.
Ferguson stepped down in 2013 after 26 years in charge and a remarkable 38 trophies.
The Scot s silverware haul included winning the Premier League 13 times and two Champions Leagues, with Ferdinand part of six of those title-winning teams at Old Trafford.
United have struggled since Ferguson s departure two years ago and former centre-back Ferdinand thinks the manager s recruitment of certain players was the key to success.
Ferguson got rid of players who didn t buy into the Man United way, for one, or weren t capable of being intense every day, Ferdinand told ESPN FC.
That s why you don t remain a…