West Ham United
Ecuador striker Enner Valencia’s move to West Ham United has been confirmed after the 25-year-old was granted a work permit, the English Premier League side said on Tuesday.
Valencia, who scored all three of Ecuador’s goals at the World Cup finals in Brazil, signed a five-year contract to join the east London club from Mexico’s Pachuca earlier this month, subject to a successful work permit hearing.
“I’ve already watched and read a lot about the club to learn about it – I know the fans are really passionate and I’m really glad to have signed,” Valencia told the club website.
“The World Cup was a good tournament for me personally. I scored three times and for my first World Cup it was a good experience, but I hope my next one is better for me and the team.
“Of course, the World Cup gives me confidence to come to Europe and I want to take (advantage of) this opportunity that West Ham have given to me.”
West Ham open their league campaign at home to Tottenham Hotspur on August 16.
Lazio
Netherlands World Cup defender Stefan de Vrij is poised to join Lazio from Feyenoord for a fee of around EU€8.5 million (Dh41.9m), Dutch media reported on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old was an ever-present for a Dutch side that finished third at the World Cup and raised his international profile with solid defensive performances and a goal against Spain in their opening match at the Brazil tournament.
He was due to undergo a medical on Tuesday, Lazio said on their twitter account (@officialsslazio), and was being offered a five-year contract.
Since making his Feyenoord debut in late 2009, De Vrij has played 135 times and scored seven goals. He has also earned 19 caps for the Netherlands.
Feyenoord, who play a Champions League qualifier against Besiktas on Wednesday, have already sold Graziano Pelle to Southampton, Bruno Martins Indi to Porto and Daryl Janmaat to Newcastle United in deals Dutch media claim to be worth EU€32m for the Rotterdam club.
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt say they have signed Paraguay striker Nelson Valdez on a two-year contract.
Valdez returns to the Bundesliga, where he played for Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund. Valdez won the German double in 2004 with Bremen, whose coach at the time was Thomas Schaaf, now in charge of Eintracht.
Valdez scored 36 goals in 193 matches for Bremen and Dortmund.
The 30-year-old forward has played before in the UAE, with Al Jazira. He’s had other stints in Spain, Russia and Greece before returning to the Bundesliga.
Eintracht are reportedly also interested in signing another former Bremen player, Portugal striker Hugo Almeida.
Wolfsburg
Wolfsburg forward Ivan Perisic has a broken shoulder and will need surgery that will put him on the long-term injured list with Patrick Ochs and Christian Trasch.
Ochs is out with a knee injury, and Trasch also has a shoulder injury.
Perisic scored 10 times for Wolfsburg last season.
Wolfsburg managing director Klaus Allofs says the injuries are unfortunate, “but we have a deep squad.”
Wolfsburg will play in the Europa League this season.
Tim Howard
Tim Howard will keep doubling as an English Premier League goalkeeper and TV announcer.
The US star will work up to 10 games for NBC Sports Group during the upcoming season on days his EPL team, Everton, aren’t playing. He will either serve as a game commentator in the booth or as an on-site studio analyst for high-profile matches.
Howard did seven games for NBCSN last season, and the network announced Tuesday that it signed him to a multiyear deal.
At age 35, Howard is still one of the top goalies in the Premier League, and he showed why at the World Cup. His 16 saves in the Americans’ 2-1 loss in extra time to Belgium in the second round made him a social media sensation back home.
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