register to 888sport
888sport time:

News

Benitez closes in on Aquilani

Author: Craig Williams
Date: 07/08/2009

Liverpool have agreed a deal with AS Roma to sign Alberto Aquilani after selling Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid.

The 25-year-old Italy international will complete his move to Anfield later this week, subject to passing a medical. Aquilani had an ankle operation in May and has not played for Roma since March.

Sunderland have finally wrapped up the signing of Darren Bent following a protracted pursuit of the Tottenham Hotspur striker.

Bent, 25, has joined the Black Cats on a four-year contract for a club record fee of £10million to bring to an end a lengthy period of negotiations between the two clubs.

The England striker had been in trouble with Spurs last week after a verbal outburst on a social networking site after he feared his proposed move to Wearside had fallen through.

Bent, who cost Spurs £16.5million from Charlton Athletic in 2007, is the fourth signing made by new Sunderland boss Steve Bruce since taking the reins at the Stadium of Light.

Fraizer Campbell, Lorik Cana and Paulo Da Silva have all also joined the north-east club in recent weeks.

Can Sunderland finish in the top half of the Premier League this season? - Latest Football Betting

Tottenham Hotspur target Klaas Jan Huntelaar is on the verge of sealing his transfer from Real Madrid to AC Milan, according to the Rossoneri's general manager Adriano Galliani.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp had been linked with the Netherlands international who only moved to Spain in January.

Portsmouth striker David Nugent is set to leave the club. He has been put up for sale after being sent home from Pompey's Portugal training camp earlier this week following a fight with Marc Wilson.

Stoke City have been linked with the 24-year-old former Preston North End forward who has found the net only six times in 41 appearances for Portsmouth.

Didier Drogba has ended speculation over his future by signing a new contract with Chelsea.

The Ivory Coast striker has put pen to paper on a three-year contract with the Blues to keep him in West London until 2012. Drogba's previous contract was due to expire in 2010.

The 31-year-old endured an indifferent start to the 2008-09 season, but produced some of his best form in the run-in, netting in the Blues' FA Cup final victory over Everton.

Drogba has scored 55 goals in 134 league appearances for the Blues.

Burnley, the online betting favourites to be relegated, have signed the Ecuadorian teenager Fernando Guerrero on a season-long loan from Independiente del Valle.

The 19-year-old impressed Clarets boss Owen Coyle during a trial at Turf Moor earlier in the summer.

Andrew Strauss is optimistic that Andrew Flintoff will be fit enough to play in the fourth Ashes Test, but will not allow emotion to dictate whether England select the all-rounder.

Flintoff has been struggling with a knee problem since the third Test against Australia at Edgbaston.

online betting