Confirmed Transfers 21/22

[King Binny]

Andriy Shevchenko - Genoa (Head Coach)

[article]Andriy Shevchenko is excited taking the Genoa job.

The former Ukraine coach succeeded the sacked Davide Ballardini last week.

“This is a very important moment in my career as a coach," said Shevchenko at his presentation press conference this afternoon.

“I wish to think Josh Wander (of 777 Partners, the new Genoa owners) and Genoa's project for bringing me back to Italy, a country with which I have a special bond.

“Genoa are an important club, this is a project I care about and the number one objective for us right now is to be in Serie A again next season. This is the oldest club in Italy and that means something. I hope to remain here for a long time."

He continued: "I was really convinced by this project. I believe Genoa can do great things in future. I remember it was like playing against 12 men at Marassi, because the fans were so passionate. I hope they can provide that atmosphere again, because we need their support.

“The team needs to be reinforced in January. Historically, it has always been a very aggressive side and we need the right mentality. Speaking to the players, I felt they too wanted to improve the situation.

“I think this side has certain characteristics, probably suited to either the 3-5-2 or the 4-3-3 formation."[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Dean Smith - Norwich (Head Coach)

[article]Norwich City is delighted to confirm the appointment of Dean Smith as the club’s new head coach.

Smith has put pen to paper on a two-and-a-half-year contract and will be joined in Norfolk by assistant head coach Craig Shakespeare.

Most recently manager of fellow Premier League side Aston Villa, Smith brings a wealth of experience to Norwich City.

At Aston Villa he helped guide the club to promotion from the Championship during his first season in charge, before two successful campaigns in the Premier League followed.

Smith also steered Villa to the 2019/20 League Cup final, ultimately losing out to Manchester City at Wembley.

Prior to his spell at Villa Park, Smith had held managerial positions at Brentford and Walsall.

Shakespeare, meanwhile, was part of Smith’s staff at Aston Villa. Prior to that, he has held backroom positions with the likes of West Bromwich Albion, Hull City, Leicester City, Everton and Watford.

Smith said: “It has been a whirlwind seven days, but I’m really pleased to be back and working for Norwich City in the Premier League.

“Clearly, there has been some wonderful work that has gone into this football club over last four and a half years. It is now the job of myself and Craig to continue and improve on that work with the ultimate aim of surviving in the Premier League.

“Norwich City is a big club, with a massive hardcore of supporters who are fully understanding in what it means to be part of the club and its community.

“I was brought up in an era when Norwich were competing in Europe – I remember those times well and whenever I’ve visited Carrow Road and Norwich you can really sense the connection between the fans, staff and players. Together, we all have to make Carrow Road a really tough place for visiting teams.

“From the age of 16 I’ve been working in football. I think in that time I’ve had four months out and didn’t enjoy it. It’s great to get straight back in with a club that are determined to be progressive.

“I’ve always worked to improve and develop players – with that obviously comes improved performances. I was really impressed with the idea, structure and vision that is already in place at the club.

“I've also been really impressed with the work Stuart has done at both Huddersfield and Norwich and he is someone I’ve known of for a while. A lot of my background has been working with sporting directors at both Brentford and Aston Villa. It’s an important relationship and I’m sure we’ll work well together here.”

Sporting director Stuart Webber said: “We are delighted to have appointed Dean as our new head coach. I have admired his work for some time and he has been a long-term target in the event that we needed to appoint a new head coach.

“Dean has an outstanding track record and as soon as he made it clear that he was ready to go straight back into a managerial role we contacted him immediately.

“He shares the same values and vision as the club, has a proven track record of winning games in the Premier League as well as developing players and building a winning culture and mentality.

“In Craig Shakespeare we have secured an assistant head coach with an outstanding reputation and vast experience within the game. We are delighted that Craig has agreed to join our new team.

“We look forward to working with Dean and Craig and building on the outstanding work which has been achieved at this club in the last few years.

“There are huge challenges ahead, but we are excited and determined to see how far we can continue to grow as a club on and off the pitch.”[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Andy Carroll - Reading (free transfer)

[article]Reading Football Club are delighted to announce the signing of striker Andy Carroll, who arrives at the club having put pen to paper on a short-term contract which will run until mid-January 2022.

The 32-year-old brings a wealth of experience to Veljko Paunovic’s squad, having spent the last decade playing his football in the Premier League for the likes of Newcastle United, Liverpool and West Ham United.

Capped nine times for England, Carroll arrived at Bearwood Park first thing this morning before completing a medical and the relevant paperwork at the Royals’ training ground. He will now aim to sharpen his match fitness so he is able to hit the ground running and start firing for the Royals in Championship action.

Royals boss Veljko Paunovic said, “This is a deal which we have been working on for some time and are confident it is the right move for both player and club. Andy is looking for a new challenge in his career and we need a player with his quality and vast experience! So this is a great match and I’m really looking forward to working with Andy over the next couple of months.”

Andy began his career with boyhood club Newcastle United, signing his first professional contract with the Magpies in 2006 – he went on to score 33 times in 91 appearances for United during his first stint at St James’ Park, helping them win the second tier title and rise back into the Premier League in 2010.

In January 2011, Newcastle accepted a bid from Liverpool and the Gateshead-born forward left the north-east for Anfield where he lifted the League Cup and scored in an FA Cup Final in his first season as a Red.

After a season on loan at West Ham he signed for the Hammers permanently in 2013 and then returned to Tyneside six years later to don the black and white stripes of United once more.

Internationally, Carroll represented the Three Lions at youth level before breaking into the senior side to make his England debut against France in a friendly in November 2010. He has scored twice for his country – his first in a friendly against Ghana before finding the net for Roy Hodgson’s men in a 3-2 win over Sweden at Euro 2012.

Out of contract last summer, Carroll has kept himself fit, waiting for the right opportunity to accept his next challenge. And that opportunity has arisen with the Royals.

Royals Chief Executive Dayong Pang said, “With long-term injuries to two of our key goalscorers, our strength in depth in attack has understandably been limited all season, so I am very pleased that Andy has agreed to join us. With a proven eye for goal, I am sure he will offer our first team squad something different as we approach another busy period of Championship football.”[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Poya Asbaghi - Barnsley (Head Coach)

[article]Barnsley Football Club can officially announce Poya Asbaghi as our new Head Coach.

The 36-year-old has put pen to paper at Oakwell following his arrival from the Swedish national set-up, where he was U21 head coach.

Asbaghi began his coaching career as an assistant at Swedish third tier outfit Dalkurd FF, before taking over the helm two years later.

After a successful spell with the Uppsala-based club, the Iranian-born coach was appointed by Gefle IF in 2017 before a two-year stint with Swedish giants IFK Göteborg between 2018 and 2020.

He led Göteborg to Svenska Cupen glory in 2020 with a 2-1 victory over fierce rivals Malmö FF before leaving his position at IFK in September that year.

Asbaghi won six of his 10 games in charge of Sweden U21s and arrives in South Yorkshire having left the young Swedes top of UEFA U21 European Championship Qualifying Group F after seven fixtures.

He will be accompanied by Ferran Sibila, who was his assistant at Göteborg. The 33-year-old Spaniard has previously coached at Swedish outfit GIF Sundsvall.

Khaled El-Ahmad, Barnsley FC Chief Executive Officer, said: “We welcome Poya and Ferran to the Club. Both are good people, talented coaches with a clear leadership and tactical philosophy.

“Poya was on the radar back in 2019 and as we went through our recruitment process it became clear to all parties that Poya and Ferran can take Barnsley FC forward.

“We would like to thank Jo Laumann and the first team coaching staff for their continued hard work and professionalism over the past few weeks during what has been a transitional period for the Club.”

Laumann will oversee Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship fixture against Fulham, with Asbaghi and new assistant coach, Sibila, expected to take first team training on Monday 22 November.

Welcome to Oakwell, Poya and Ferran.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Giovanni van Bronckhorst - Rangers (Manager)

[article]GIOVANNI VAN BRONCKHORST has today agreed to become the 17th permanent manager of Rangers Football Club.

The 46 year-old former Light Blues player is a hugely respected and vastly experienced figure in the game, and joins Gers subject to receipt of a work permit.

van Bronckhorst is a phenomenally decorated player both at club level and on the international stage for The Netherlands, while as a manager, he returned glory to Rotterdam’s Feyenoord in the Eredivise and in cup competitions – winning five trophies during his successful time at De Kuip.

Born in 1975, van Bronckhorst came through the Feyenoord academy system, winning the Dutch Cup in 1995. With his reputation growing across Europe, Ibrox came calling for the first time as Gio joined Rangers as part of Dick Advocaat’s Dutch revolution.

His playing time in Glasgow was laden with success and five Rangers trophies as he won two league titles, two Scottish Cups and a League Cup while making 118 appearances and scoring 22 goals in the process.

His form and his regular participation in a fine Holland side was always going to attract significant attention, and he joined Arsenal in the summer of 2001, spending two years at Highbury under Arsene Wenger where he won the Premier League and the FA Cup during a successful time in North London before moving to Spain to join Barcelona in 2003.

He was a key part of the Barcelona side which would go on to enjoy incredible success, initially under his countryman Frank Rijkaard, and van Bronckhorst’s spell at Camp Nou saw him collect winners’ medals in the Champions League in 2006, and twice in La Liga in 2005 and then 2006.

The lure of a return to Rotterdam and Feyenoord would prove to be too hard for him to turn down, however, and he returned there to finish off his club career in three seasons from 2007 to 2010.

The final match of his career came with the national team, with that being on the biggest stage of all at the World Cup final in 2010. After netting a memorable goal in the semi-final to help the Dutch past Uruguay, van Bronckhorst captained his side against Spain, where they were eventually defeated late in extra-time. In all, he claimed 106 caps for The Netherlands placing him fifth in the list of their most-capped players.

After retirement, he began his coaching career at Feyenoord, initially under Ronald Koeman and then Fred Rutten, before earning the chance to become manager of the Rotterdam club for the 2015-16 season.

He won the Dutch Cup in his first full season, and then won Feyenoord’s first league title in 18 years in 2017 along with a Johan Cruyff Shield, and added another Dutch Cup and Johan Cruyff Shield in 2018 before leaving at the end of the 2018/19 campaign.

Following Feyenoord, he had a spell gaining further experience within the City Football Group, owners of Manchester City among other clubs, and most recently he managed Guangzhou R&F in the Chinese Super League.

That time was disrupted enormously with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, and after returning to his native Netherlands to spend time with his family, he is ready for his next challenge in the game.

Rangers Chairman, Douglas Park, commented: “I am delighted to welcome Giovanni as our manager to begin a new era and build further on what has already been achieved at the club.

“The team is in a good position on the park and, as a board, we will support both Giovanni and Ross Wilson to continue to make Rangers a success.

On his appointment, van Bronckhorst continued: “I am absolutely delighted to be returning to Rangers as the club’s new manager.

“I feel so lucky to be going to work with a squad which is in a great position on all fronts and largely has that experience of being winners.

“I look forward to carrying on and enhancing the work that has been done already alongside Ross Wilson and the board of the club, and I’m grateful for the chance to work again at this huge football club.

Sporting Director, Ross Wilson, added: “I am delighted to welcome Gio back to Rangers. He was respected throughout Europe as a player and has already shown why he has that same respect as a coach.

“Gio has already shown himself to be a winner, he knows the club, he knows the quality of the squad and is absolutely aligned with our approach and mindset.

“Gio has been part of a long list of managers we have been tracking for a period of time to ensure we are always ready. When Steven intimated his decision last Wednesday, we immediately got to work on what was then a focused shortlist. We held initial talks within 48 hours and concluded our decision making within six days of the role becoming available.

“We found agreement with Gio extremely quickly and we have enjoyed working with him on assembling the backroom team that will complement an already excellent support staff that we have built here at Rangers.”[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Jack Rodwell - Western Sydney Wanderers (free transfer)

[article]Western Sydney Wanderers FC Can Tonight Confirm The Signing Of Midfielder Jack Rodwell For The 2021/22 Isuzu UTE A-League Season.

Rodwell joins the Wanderers on a one-season deal after spending the last two weeks training with the Red & Black.

The former Premier League midfielder began his career in the youth ranks at Everton, the same club where he made his professional debut, going on to make 85 appearances over five years.

The talented midfielder made a two-season move to EPL giants Manchester City before stints at Sunderland, Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United.

Rodwell said he was very excited to join the Red & Black.

“This move is really exciting for me, I’ve been looking at the opportunity to play in Australia for a couple of months and with my wife being from Western Sydney, the Wanderers was the perfect destination,” said Rodwell.

“Australia is like a second home to me, it’s my favourite country on earth, it’s where my wife and her family are from; we love the place.

“I honestly can’t wait to play. With the opening match being the Sydney Derby, everyone in my family will be there watching so it is a huge opportunity and something I am really looking forward to.

“I’d like to thank the club for this opportunity, and hope I can repay the faith they have shown in me.”

Head coach Carl Robinson said Jack was a great fit with the squad.

“We are delighted to have Jack part of our squad as he is a strong character with excellent leadership qualities,” said Robinson.

“He’s settled in excellently in such a short time, and fitted in well with the group sharing the same values and ideas we have here as a club.

“His experience speaks for itself and his signing his an opportunity for him to get back to enjoying his football in a positive and competitive environment.

‘We look forward to Jack being a great addition to our strong core group of players this season.”

CEO John Tsatsimas said Rodwell is an excellent final piece to the squad this season.

“Jack is a fantastic individual who has come to the club with great intentions and has already shown us what he is capable of in training,” said Tsatsimas.

“Carl (Robinson) has put together a strong squad this season, and the addition of a player of this calibre, with incredible experience at an elite level, will support our group and is sure to excite our members and fans.”[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Paul Heckingbottom - Sheffield United (Manager)

[article]Sheffield United and Slaviša Jokanović have parted company, with Paul Heckingbottom installed as the club’s football manager.

Yorkshireman Heckingbottom takes charge of the club’s football business immediately after agreeing a contract through to the end of the 2025/26 season. He will begin by leading training at the Randox Health Academy on Friday and be in position for Sunday’s Sky Bet Championship fixture with Bristol City (12.30pm kick-off).

Following several months of strategic planning and a lacklustre start to the season, the board decided that a change was in the best long-term interests of the club.

Heckingbottom served as United’s caretaker manager last season, winning fixtures against Brighton, Everton and Burnley in the Premier League. He has been successful leading the club’s U23s squad and has previously managed Barnsley, Leeds United and Hibernian.

Heckingbottom will bring in a number of coaches to support his role, including former Blades players Jack Lester, who becomes head of player development, and Stuart McCall, who is the new assistant manager. Further announcements with regards to the structure of the football department will be made in due course.

Chairman Yusuf Giansiracusa commented: “We look forward to embarking on a new era in Blades football with Paul at the helm. Paul possesses the personal leadership qualities and technical football skills the board feels are essential to successfully implement the board’s strategic directives. He shares our values and interest in player development while also possessing the ambition and determination to get the most out of our current squad. We are convinced that Paul will play a leading role in improving all aspects of football operations.”

Stephen Bettis, United’s chief executive officer, added: “Disappointingly, after a slow start, we have not seen an improvement in results, performances and we’d prefer to be in a better league position. A decision has been made and now it is important that we look forward, Paul’s style and ethos matches that of the club and we will support him where possible. We have enough league games remaining, we know we have the ability and resources within our playing squad to start picking up points and climbing the league table.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Fredrik André Bjørkan - Hertha Berlin (free transfer)

[article]Hertha BSC have made their first signing of the winter transfer window. Fredrik André Bjørkan joins the ‘Old Lady’ from Norwegian side FK Bodø/Glimt and has signed a long-term contract. “Fredrik brings a lot of dynamism and works really hard in every game. He has an offensive approach to the left back position without leaving behind his defensive responsibilities. We’re pleased that Fredrik has decided to join Hertha BSC,” said Fredi Bobic. The newest member of the squad is really up for the task at hand. “Hertha is a fantastic club that I’m really looking forward to being a part of. The decision was an easy one for me, partly because a few Norwegians have already played here and the club has a really good reputation in my home country,” said Bjørkan.

Attacking quality and international experience
The Bodø native made the step into professional football at his hometown club and has already made over 100 first-division appearances for FK Bodø/Glimt, recording 20 goal involvements (5 goals, 15 assists). The 1.80-metre tall full back won the Norwegian league title in 2020, before progressing through the national youth teams to debut for the Norway national team in June 2021 and so far has two caps to his name. Bjørkan tasted European football with FK, making a total of 11 appearances across UEFA Champions League and Europa League qualifiers in addition to Conference League qualifiers and group stage fixtures.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Hugo Siquet - Freiburg (reportedly €5.5m)

[article]The 19-year-old Belgian youth international arrives in Breisgaiu in time for the 2021/22 Hin-runde with a hefty price tag. German footballing magazine Kicker reports a €4.5 million transfer fee while Belgian radio speaks of a €5.5 million or higher fee.

"We have been following Hugo's path since his first appearances for Standard," SC personnel bloss Klemens Hartenbach noted in a statement, "last summer, the execution of a transfer was not possible. All the more reason why we're pleased now."

"Hugo can play at right-back in a back-four or slide into the right lane in a back-three," Hartenbach continued, "His intelligence, energy, and constant forward drive are what make him stand out. We're very excited to take the next step in his development together."

The youngster was a regular in the Standard Liege starting XI this season, featuring in all 16 opening lineups. All told, he's appeared in 42 games across all competitions for the side through which he came up as a youth academy player.

"SC Freiburg is a very ambitious, familial club that reflects my value on and off the pitch," Siquet noted in his own statement, "I'm full of anticipatory joy to be playing for Freiburg soon."

While the price tag may seem a bit high, the latest transfermarkt listings suggest that the Schwarzwaldverein might have gotten a bargain. Siquet is worth €7 million according to the latest Jupiler Pro League update.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Ryan Lowe - Preston (Manager)
Mike Marsh - Preston (First Team Coach)

[article]Preston North End Football Club are delighted to announce the appointment of Ryan Lowe as first team manager.

Ryan will take over with immediate effect, joining from Plymouth Argyle, a club he guided to promotion from League Two to League One in the 2019/20 season, and they currently sit fourth in the third tier.

That was the second promotion on Ryan’s managerial CV, having previously led Bury FC into League One.

We would like to place on record our thanks to Plymouth Argyle for the professional way in which they have handled this matter.

Ryan’s first game in charge of North End will be Saturday afternoon’s home game against Barnsley.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Steven Schumacher - Plymouth (Manager)

[article]Plymouth Argyle Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Steven Schumacher as our new First-Team Manager.

Schumacher, 37, succeeds outgoing boss Ryan Lowe, who has resigned from his position with the intention of accepting a managerial role elsewhere.

Having received a request to speak with Lowe from a team in a higher division, the club was obliged to grant permission, as per the terms of his contract at Home Park.

With Lowe making clear his desire to move on, Argyle moved swiftly to appoint Schumacher, who holds a glowing reputation as a bright and ambitious young tactician.

Andrew Parkinson, Plymouth Argyle Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are very excited about the appointment, and look forward to Steven building on the impressive foundations he has laid at Argyle.

“Schuey is a popular figure at Home Park, and his tactical knowledge, man-management and motivational skills are evident in his day-to-day work.

“We believe he has great potential, and is the obvious choice to provide continuity at a time of great promise at the club.

“More than that, though, Steven fits the profile of the kind of young, forward-thinking Manager we want at Argyle, and no prospective candidate has a better understanding of the club, and squad, than him.

“Of course, we thank Ryan for his achievements as Manager, and we wish him all the best for the future.”

Plymouth Argyle Director of Football Neil Dewsnip said: “This is an exciting opportunity for Steven and the club, and one that I know both parties will embrace.

“For as long as I’ve known him, Steven’s dedication to becoming the best coach he can be has been there for all to see, and I firmly believe the time is right for him to step into management.

“He has shown great commitment to Argyle, and our footballing philosophy is one he has played a big part in shaping.”
[/article]

 

[King Binny]

John Arne Riise - Avaldsnes IL (Manager)


[article]Former Liverpool defender John Arne Riise has become the head coach of Norwegian top-tier women’s side Avaldsnes IL.

Riise previously coached Flint before leaving the role last month after the men’s team were relegated from the third division in Norway.

The 41-year-old spent seven seasons at Liverpool from 2001 to 2008, and then played for Roma for three seasons before returning to the Premier League with Fulham.

Towards the end of his playing career Riise played for a number of sides, including Delhi Dynamos and Chennaiyin in India, while he played more than 100 times for Norway.

“I'm not shocked, but I'm quite surprised that I'm sitting here. I've talked to a lot of people around me. I got a lot of messages about what's going on. I said a new club, but no one tipped Avaldsnes,” Riise said, per Eurosport Norway.

“My goal is to develop the players we have. We have young talents who are on age-specific national teams. I will develop my network to bring in experienced players and take steps.

“Not monster steps, things take time. My job is to build the players and the team to get better, especially on the field. The girls can expect a pretty hard run-up, I will not hide that.”

Avaldsnes’s general manager Norvald Audun Kaldheim said the Toppserien club were delighted to have Riise on board.

“We have followed Riise since he was a young boy and cheered him on throughout his fantastic playing career,” Kalbheim said.

“He has worked with many of the world's best coaches and has in a long career developed a unique football skills. We will greatly enjoy this in Avaldsnes.”[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Domenico Tedesco - Leipzig (Head Coach)

 

[bluebell]

Domenico Tedesco - Leipzig (Head Coach)

We should change the thread "sack race.... " to something to "you're fired, you're hired". Talk Marsh going to Man Utd, if that's true, I would be pissing my pants laughing

 

[King Binny]

Diego Alonso - Uruguay (Head Coach)

 

[King Binny]

Kostas Manolas - Olympiacos (€2.5m + add ons)

[article]Napoli defender Kostas Manolas has completed his transfer to Olympiacos for a reported €2.5m plus bonuses.

The centre-back had officially been in Greece since yesterday due to ‘personal reasons,’ but reports quickly emerged that he had a medical with Olympiacos this morning.

That was confirmed when fans gathered in thousands outside the club headquarters and the club released a video of Manolas waving to the supporters with an Olympiacos scarf around his neck.

According to Sportitalia transfer expert Alfredo Pedullà, the cost of the operation was €2m plus €1m in bonuses.

Manolas also gave up his December salary, which handed Napoli €400,000 as well.

It’s reported they had asked Manolas to wait until the Christmas break to make this move, but he was determined to come back home to Greece.

This is about love and family, not money, as his salary at Olympiacos will be less than half of his current Napoli wage.

The 30-year-old had arrived from Roma in 2019 for €36m, but never really made his mark there or gelled fully with Kalidou Koulibaly.

It is a return to Olympiacos, where Manolas played from 2012 to 2014.
[/article]

 

[binomial]

Surprised he's left Napoli...shaping up for big things there this season.

Europa tie against Barca....in a fascinating 4 way race for the title.....thrown that away for with all respect....a crap league.

 

[King Binny]

Stanislav Cherchesov - Ferencváros (Head Coach)


Shaun Maloney - Hibernian (Manager)

[article]
Maloney joins from the Belgian National Team, where he was Assistant Manager to Roberto Martínez and helped the Red Devils’ rise to number one in the FIFA World Rankings.

The 38-year-old has put pen-to-paper on a three-and-a-half year deal and is joined by a management team of Gary Caldwell (Assistant Manager), Valerio Zuddas (First Team Coach and Conditioning) and Brian Doogan (Head of Technical Support), alongside David Gray (First Team Coach) and Craig Samson (Goalkeeping Coach).

He arrives at Easter Road with a strong reputation in football through his coaching background and his playing days. He is one of the brightest young coaches in the game with an attack-minded, dynamic style of football.

Hailing from Malaysia, Maloney had an iconic football career playing predominantly in the Scottish and English top-flight, alongside the MLS with Chicago Fire. He also won 47 caps for Scotland, the country he grew up in from the age of two.

After retiring in 2017, Maloney began to develop his trade in coaching under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers at Celtic, taking a position as B Team coach, helping young players progress into the Club’s first team set-up.

Just a year later, he joined up with his former manager Martínez at Belgium and played a key role in their climb to become the top ranked side in the world, developing a style of football that is attacking, free-flowing and creates overloads in crucial areas of the pitch.

Alongside this, he has undertaken his own football education in the Netherlands, has worked with footballers at the highest-level, and has an extensive knowledge of the Scottish game.

On the appointment, Hibernian FC Chief Executive Ben Kensell commented: “We are very happy to welcome Shaun as our new manager, in what is undoubtedly a very important appointment for Hibernian FC.

“Our recruitment for a new manager has been thorough, strategic, and centered around the clear vision we have for this football club.

“We wanted to acquire a manager who has an attacking mentality, who’s progressive, and someone who is hungry for the opportunity to build something here at this big club.

“Shaun has been the standout candidate throughout this process as his idea of football is completely aligned with ours and the history of this football club. He believes in attacking, possession-based football, and has implemented it at the highest level with Roberto Martínez at Belgium.

“He is also a coach that wants to develop the players we have at this football club, as we have assembled a good squad. He’s aligned with our focus on bringing through young talent through our development team and wants to work with young players.

“Shaun’s a young coach and this is a big opportunity for him to show what we can do. We will support him in the upcoming transfer windows to help him achieve our ambitions here.

“We have real belief in Shaun, and he has huge belief in himself. He is determined to bring success here at Hibernian FC.”
[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Ferran Torres - Barcelona (€55m plus €10m add ons)




[article]Barcelona have completed the signing of Manchester City forward Ferran Torres.

The Blaugrana have prioritised the signing of the Spain international since the arrival of Xavi Hernandez last month.

Xavi liked direct wingers and also liked the thought of using Torres as a false nine, something Pep Guardiola had success with at Manchester City.

Guardiola confirmed the move would be going ahead last week, with Torres keen to return to Spain, where he caught the eye with home region club Valencia.

Torres completed his medical on Monday, and the deal has now been confirmed by Barcelona.

The winger will be presented to fans at Camp Nou on Wednesday now that the deal is official.

Though, fans won’t be able to see Torres playing for Barca just yet, despite the winger signing a five-year deal with a €1billion release clause.

Barcelona are free to complete the deal from a business point of view, even with the rumoured fee being as high as €55million plus variables.

But they cannot register the 21-year-old in their La Liga squad until they reduce their salary bill.

Player sales are required to achieve that, and only when Torres is ratified by La Liga, and only when league authorities are satisfied with Barcelona’s salary mass will he be able to play.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Daizen Maeda, Yosuke Ideguchi, Reo Hatate - Celtic

[article]Celtic Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of three exciting new players from the Japanese J League.

Daizen Maeda from Yokohama F. Marinos, Yosuke Ideguchi from Gamba Osaka and Reo Hatate from Kawasaki Frontale will all be registered with Celtic in early January, subject to the usual conditions and international clearance.

DAIZEN MAEDA
The 24-year-old forward is reuniting with Ange Postecoglou at Celtic, having previously played under the manager at Yokohama F. Marinos. He had originally joined Yokohama F. Marinos on loan in August 2020 following a previous loan spell with Maritimo in the Portuguese league, and by the end of the season had impressed Ange Postecoglou enough that the deal became a permanent one. And in the 2021 season, Daizen Maeda was joint top scorer in the J-League with 23 goals as Yokohama F. Marinos finished second and qualified for the AFC Champions League. He was also named in the J-League Best XI of the 2021 season and has been capped twice for the Japan national side. Daizen will join Celtic initially on loan but with a compulsory purchase clause included, meaning he will be with Celtic on a permanent basis from the summer on a long-term deal.

YOSUKE IDEGUCHI
The 25-year-old midfielder began his career with Gamba Osaka, having come through their youth academy, and made his first-team debut in 2014. He spent a further four years with the club, winning the prestigious J-League ‘Rookie of the Year’ award in 2016, and it is from the same club that he joins Celtic, having re-signed for them back in 2019. In the intervening period, Yosuke Udeguchi joined Leeds United, before going out on loan, first to Cultural Leonesa in Spain and then Greuther Fürth in Germany. Yosuke Ideguchi has also been capped 15 times for Japan, scoring two goals for his country. He joins Celtic Football club on a four and a half year contract

REO HATATE
The versatile 24-year-old, who can play in a number of position, joins Celtic from Kawasaki Frontale, having helped them win the J-League for the second successive year. He was also named in the J-League Best XI of the 2021 season alongside his new Celtic team-mate, Daizen Maeda. Reo Hatate was also selected to represent Japan at the recent Olympic Games, held in the summer in Japan. And he helped his country reach the last four of the tournament, though they lost out in the bronze medal match to Mexico. Reo will also be joining Celtic on a 4 and a half year contract.

It is hoped all players will be joining up with the Celtic squad across the next few days.

A delighted Celtic manager, Ange Postecoglou, said: “We are really pleased to bring in these guys to Celtic and I think they are players who will excite our fans.

"Clearly I am well aware of their attributes and I think in bringing all three to the club we are bringing even more quality, personality and energy to the squad to work with the players who have done so well for us already this season.

“They are all really at the peak of their careers, ambitious to achieve more success and I am sure at this particular time we will be getting their best years. I am delighted to have secured these players so early in the transfer window, I look forward to working with them and myself, my backroom team and the rest of the squad will be making sure we help them settle into Celtic as quickly as possible.”

Everyone at Celtic joins Ange in welcoming these new players to the Club.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Jonathan Ikoné - Fiorentina (€14m plus €1m add on and 15% future sale)

[article]Lille winger Jonathan Ikoné has officially joined Fiorentina and he’ll sign the contract in a few days.

The Viola have been working to sign the 23-year-old French forward for a number of weeks now and have finally secured their man, giving coach Vincenzo Italiano a much needed reinforcement upfront.

As announced by Lille earlier today, Ikoné has been cleared to fly to Italy and he’ll officially sign his contract with Fiorentina on January 3, when the Italian transfer market reopens.

The deal has cost Rocco Commisso’s side €15m between the fixed part and various add-ons, and a future resale clause has also been included.

The 23-year-old Ikoné, who joined Lille in the summer of 2018 from Paris Saint-Germain, has made 25 appearances across all competitions so far this season, for a total of 1420 minutes. In that time, he has scored two goals and provided two assists. The player is noted for his strong dribbling and passing.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Vitaliy Mykolenko - Everton (undisclosed fee, reportedly £17m including add ons)


Bye bye, Digne?

[article]Everton have signed defender Vitaliy Mykolenko from Dynamo Kiev for an undisclosed fee, the Ukraine international agreeing a four-and-a-half-year deal until the end of June 2026.

Mykolenko, 22, becomes the Blues’ first signing of the January transfer window having impressed at both club and international level in recent years.

Ukraine’s premier left-back, Mykolenko has won 21 caps for his country and was a key part of the team which reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2020.

Mykolenko featured regularly in Dynamo’s past two Champions League campaigns and was instrumental in his side’s domestic league title triumph in 2020/21. He has also won two Ukrainian Cups with Dynamo.

Speaking to evertontv after becoming manager Rafa Benitez’s sixth signing as Blues manager, Mykolenko said: “Moving to Everton is a big and important step in my life.

“I have always dreamed of playing in the Premier League. English football is where the game was born and I think that it will suit my game very well.

“I am 22 but I don’t feel like a youngster. I have experience of playing at European level and hope I will continue to improve as a player.

“I am excited about the opportunity of playing in front of our supporters at Everton. I have seen the last few games at Goodison Park and they were unbelievable.

“They are incredible fans to whom I feel great responsibility.”

Mykolenko, who can also operate in central defence and as a wing-back, made his Dynamo debut aged just 18, with his consistently high-quality performances seeing him rewarded with a senior international call-up one year later.

He quickly established himself as the number one left-back for club and country and shone as Ukraine qualified for Euro 2020 in Impressive fashion.

Andriy Shevchenko’s team went through their qualifying section unbeaten, finishing top of a group featuring a star-studded Portugal side. Mykolenko went on to start four of Ukraine’s five matches at the European Championship.

Mykolenko’s growing status at Dynamo, meanwhile, was underlined when, aged 21, he was named captain for a league game against FC Lviv last season. He made a total of 132 first-team appearances for Dynamo, scoring seven goals and providing 20 assists.

Mykolenko added: “I like to play on the front foot and get forward when I can.

“Modern football demands that full-backs are able to attack as well as defend. I think I am a versatile defender who can get up and down the pitch.

“But I believe desire and commitment are the most important attributes and I will aim to bring those qualities.

“I hope it won’t take me too long to settle in and get used to the style of football.

“I feel great right now and it is very important for me to communicate with the team, the management and the fans.

“For that, I need to learn the language and understand culture of this city, this country and this club. I will do my very best.

“I believe here at Everton, with the Club’s traditions and ambitions, I will grow as a person and as a player.”[/article]

 

[King Binny]

 

[King Binny]

Philippe Clement - Monaco (Head Coach)

 

[King Binny]

Tony Gallacher - St. Johnstone

[article]
The Club is delighted to announce the signing of Tony Gallacher from Liverpool.

The 22-year-old left-sided defender moves to McDiarmid Park on a contract until the summer of 2024.

Tony broke into the Falkirk first team as a teenager and then moved to Liverpool in a six-figure transfer fee in 2018.

He spent part of last season on loan at Toronto FC on loan and then returned to Anfield.

He is now looking forward to the next stage of his career and wants to become a first-team regular at Saints.

Gallacher said: "I'm really excited about my move to St Johnstone and can't wait to get started.

"I had a great time at Liverpool and I'd like to thank everyone there for looking after me and helping me to improve as a footballer and teach me so many good habits.

"I feel very lucky to have been part of a massive Football Club with so many wonderful professionals and people. It was an incredible education.

"But I felt the time was right to look for first-team football and an exciting opportunity presented itself at St Johnstone.

"Having been out on loan at Toronto, I enjoyed my time there and it made me want more and more first-team football.

"It's now up to me to show everyone at St Johnstone that I'm good enough to play regular first-team football and that's what I plan to do.

"My preference is to play on the left-hand side as I feel I have good energy to get up and down and can deliver crosses into the box. I also enjoy the defensive side of the game.

"My immediate aim is to work hard and integrate with the group. Team spirit is so important and I know it's a really good squad at St Johnstone.

"There will be a feeling of positivity going into the second half of the season. We then need to take that into games and we will.

"It's vital to win games of football and I am confident we will do that to move away from the bottom end of the table."[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Teden Mengi - Birmingham City (loan)

[article]
Blues are delighted to announce the loan signing of Teden Mengi.

The highly regarded defender is the Club’s first capture of the January window and arrives from Manchester United on an agreement until the end of the 2021/22 Sky Bet Championship season, subject to league and FA clearance.

At just 19, he has already had a taste of European Football, making his senior debut for his parent club in the Europa League against LASK in August 2020. This follows a rise through the Carrington ranks since the age of seven that included making a sizable impression for the Under-16s and Under-18s and led to him signing his first professional deal in September 2019.

Further opportunities within the first team group followed ahead of a switch to Derby County for the second-half of last season. Mengi’s impressive nine-game spell at Pride Park, which was curtailed early due to injury, saw him also sign a contract extension for United until 2024, with a further year option.

He joins Lee Bowyer’s ranks with international experience at every age group between Under-15s and Under-20s and in October, trained with the England senior group as they prepared for FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Andorra and Hungary.

Now, fresh from his first UEFA Champions League appearance versus Young Boys last month and following in the footsteps of fellow Red Devils loanee Tahith Chong, Mengi spoke to BluesTV about the latest chapter in his career.

“I am delighted to be here. [I am] ready to work hard and kick on for the rest of the season.

“It was important for me to try and find what was best for me, which is here at Blues and to just kick on and get as many games under my belt and improve as much as I can as a player and as a person.

“As soon as I heard about Blues I was straight on the phone to [Tahith] Chongy and he told me it is great, the lads are great, I am going to enjoy it, everyone is a nice person, so I am just looking forward to it.”

Mengi will wear the number 18 shirt for Birmingham City.
[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Jonathan Ikoné - Fiorentina (€14m plus €1m add on and 15% future sale)

[article]Lille winger Jonathan Ikoné has officially joined Fiorentina and he’ll sign the contract in a few days.

The Viola have been working to sign the 23-year-old French forward for a number of weeks now and have finally secured their man, giving coach Vincenzo Italiano a much needed reinforcement upfront.

As announced by Lille earlier today, Ikoné has been cleared to fly to Italy and he’ll officially sign his contract with Fiorentina on January 3, when the Italian transfer market reopens.

The deal has cost Rocco Commisso’s side €15m between the fixed part and various add-ons, and a future resale clause has also been included.

The 23-year-old Ikoné, who joined Lille in the summer of 2018 from Paris Saint-Germain, has made 25 appearances across all competitions so far this season, for a total of 1420 minutes. In that time, he has scored two goals and provided two assists. The player is noted for his strong dribbling and passing.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Callum Marshall - West Ham United

[article]Linfield FC can confirm that 17-year-old Callum Marshall has today joined West Ham United (subject to the completion of the international clearance formalities).

At the start of the season, Callum became one of the first inductees into the club’s innovative Scholarship scheme.

The purpose of the scheme is to prepare young scholars for a first team career, either with Linfield or as can be evidenced in the case of Callum, with a cross channel club.

Callum becomes the latest young player to leave Linfield for clubs in England, joining Dale Taylor who is with Nottingham Forest, Charlie Allen at Leeds, Josh Roney at Stoke and Ruairi McConville at Brighton.

Callum made 5 appearances (3 as sub) and scored once for the Linfield first team (in a League Cup win against PSNI in November). He also played in the Linfield Swifts team which lost 1-0 to Newington in the Christmas Day Seaview Steel and Sons Cup Final.

He leaves Linfield with the very best wishes of everyone at the club and hopefully, he can go on to carve out a successful career for himself at West Ham.

Linfield manager David Healy added his best wishes to Callum, as he embarks on the first day of his new career at the West Ham Academy.

“I want to wish Callum every success with this exciting new challenge that he’s now setting out upon. It’s a wonderful opportunity for him at such a leading Premiership club in West Ham United.

He’s been training with our first team squad all season and he’s made a very positive impression on all our players and staff.

We are sure he has the attitude and determination that will be required to make the most of this amazing opportunity that has come his way.

Everyone at Linfield is delighted with the recognition that both Callum and the club’s Scholarship scheme has earned and we will all be monitoring Callum’s progress with a keen interest.”[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Nathan Patterson - Everton (£16m including add ons)

[article]Nathan Patterson has signed for Everton from Rangers for an undisclosed fee, the talented right-back agreeing a five-and-a-half-year deal until the end of June 2027.

The 20-year-old Scotland international, one of Europe’s most highly-rated young defenders, becomes the Club’s second signing of the winter transfer window following the arrival of Ukraine left-back Vitalii Mykolenko on New Year’s Day.

Patterson joined Rangers’ academy aged eight and, after making his senior debut in January 2020, led the Glasgow club to the Scottish Premiership title last season with an unbeaten record.

Athletic, 6ft 1in tall and with a lightning burst of pace, Patterson has six senior Scotland caps having made his international bow in June last year, netting his maiden goal against Moldova in November.

“I’m over the moon to sign for Everton and looking forward to getting started,” Patterson told evertontv.

“It was an easy choice to sign. This is a massive club with huge history and the fanbase is tremendous. Obviously we aren’t in the place where we want to be right now but we can definitely get there with the talent in the changing room and staff here, and I have full belief we can do that.

“It is really exciting to come to a club that has huge talent in the team. I am going to work my socks off and hopefully I can do well with them in training and in games.

“It was also great for me knowing the manager really wanted me here and that made my decision. When a club really wants you, it makes your mind up early on.

“I wanted to come here from the very start. I’m delighted to be here and really looking forward to playing in front of the fans at Goodison.

“Long-term, I want to nail down a starting position and win some trophies to make the fans proud.”

Patterson, who will wear the number three shirt at Everton, is a modern-day full-back who combines determination in defence with a hunger to drive forward and contribute in attack.

Indeed, his attacking strengths, on occasion, led to him being deployed in a more advanced role on the right flank in his final two seasons in Scotland.

Asked what Evertonians can expect from him, Patterson said: “Athleticism, desire and strong challenges, along with good forward play.

“I am an attacking full-back. I love getting forward and creating chances to benefit the team. I can’t wait for it.”

On linking up with manager Rafa Benitez and Everton’s long-serving right-back and captain Seamus Coleman, Patterson added: “I’m really looking forward to working under the manager and with my teammates. I have met most of them already and everyone has made me feel so welcome.

“I’ve had a good conversation with Seamus. I am really looking forward to learning from him and working together.

“That is why I am here: to learn and get better as a player and, hopefully, win things and do well for the Club. If I am working alongside Seamus that is definitely going to happen.”[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Morgan Boyes - Livingston


[article]Livingston Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Morgan Boyes from English Premier League giants, Liverpool FC.

The 20-year-old left-sided defender joins the Lions on an 18-month contract seeing him stay at the Tony Macaroni Arena until the Summer of 2023, with the club having an option to extend his contract through to the summer of 2024.

Morgan is a product of Liverpool’s academy having played with their U18s and U23s before making his first-team debut in a match against Aston Villa in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup. Additionally, Morgan has been capped at both U19 and U21 levels for his national side, Wales and will wear the number 15 shirt for the Lions.

On securing Morgan’s signature, Manager David Martindale said: “I am delighted to get the signature of Morgan who had a-lot of offers down South. Our relationship with Liverpool has really helped in getting Morgan up here to Livingston. He is a young player with a massive amount of development & potential still to come and I believe we will be very good for one another.

“I spoke to various members of staff at Liverpool and Fleetwood where Morgan was on loan and everyone spoke very highly of him and his potential. Morgan will come in and join up with the players very soon and I’m looking forward to working with the player and seeing him up close in training. Morgan is a left centre half with a very good left foot who is at a great age and at an age that we have found historically hard to recruit for. Finding players capable of playing 1st team football at a young age in the Scottish Premiership is extremely hard but I do believe we have found this with Morgan.

“I would like to thank David Woodfine at Liverpool and Dave Barren the players agent for all their help in getting the deal with Morgan over the line.”

Morgan will join up with the first-team squad next week for training as we look to prepare for our first game back after the Winter Break.[/article]