Peruvian footballer Nolberto Solano returns to his home country after spending twelve years abroad, to join Universitario in Lima.
Solano received an offer from Argentinian side Velez Sarsfield but his family preferred to return to Peru.
The 34-year-old left Peru to play for Boca Juniors in 1997, and since represented Newcastle United, Aston Villa, West Ham United and Larissa. The player spent eight years divided over two stints at Newcastle, where he scored a total of 37 goals in 230 games.
La U won the 2008 Apertura, which gives them access to this year s Copa Libertadores where a veteran playmaker like Solano could certainly make a difference. In the Clausura tournament, Universitario finished 11th.
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Paolo Maldini has been named AC Milan s new technical director, while Zvonimir Boban has been appointed to the newly created role of chief football officer.
Milan icon Maldini replaces Leonardo in the post, with the Brazilian reported to be returning to a similar post at former club Paris Saint-Germain.
Boban, who played for the club between 1991 and 2001, has left FIFA where he was the body s deputy secretary general to return to Milan.
Maldini previously worked as Milan s sporting strategy and development director but Ivan Gazidis, the club s chief executive, feels he is the right man to succeed Leonardo.
Paolo embodies that quality and those values that are the building blocks of our club, he told Milan s official website. I am happy to have h…
Hansi Flick said rumours Bayern Munich are again interested in signing Manchester City winger Leroy Sane are not an issue for now .
Bundesliga champions Bayern were heavily linked with a move for the Germany international before a serious knee injury sustained in August put the buffers on a potential deal.
Reports in Germany suggest Bayern are once again interested in signing Sane and could push for a deal as soon as January.
But Bayern interim head coach, speaking after Wednesday s 3-1 win at Freiburg, kept his counsel.
Huge, huge win.
— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN)
That is a player who is under contract with Manchester City and that is why it is not an issue for me at the moment, Flick told reporters.
I have to concentr…
Promising teenager Diogo Jota has joined Porto on loan from LaLiga outfit Atletico Madrid.
Jota was signed by Diego Simeone in July after an impressive season with Pacos de Ferreira in the Portuguese Primeira Liga.
The 19-year-old was named the young player of the month twice in 2015-16, seeing him move
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to the Vicente Calderon on a five-year deal.
However, Atletico have elected to send Jota on a season-long loan with the 27-time Portuguese champions.
The deal also includes an option for Porto to buy the winger at the conclusion of the loan agreement.
Bem-vindo Diogo Jota.
Welcome Diogo Jota.
Bienvenido Diogo Jota.
— FC Porto (@FCPorto)
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La Liga outfit Valencia are hot on the trail of Benfica starlet Goncalo Guedes, .
Los Che have already signed quite a few footballers from Estadio da Luz, and the trend looks set to continue.
Namely, Valencia have been closely monitoring the performances of Goncalo Guedes and they have now decided to make their interest concrete.
According to A Bola, los Che hope to bring the talented forward to Estadio Mestalla in the January window and are ready to offer €25 million to be paid in two equal instalments.
Even though the 19-year-old has only started 11 league games for Benfica, while making another 15 substitute appearances, he has clearly done enough to catch the eye of Valencia scouts.
Guedes was, however, regular in club’s Champions League …
Erbil need to stop star Kitchee forward Juan Belencoso if they are to claim a first-leg AFC Cup semi-final win.
The Spanish veteran has scored regularly for the Hong Kong First Division champions, including 10 times in the Asian tournament.
Belencoso, 33, had spent several seasons in his homeland before making the move abroad, and he has impressed.
Jose Francisco Molina will be looking to the forward to lead the way at the Prince Mohammed Stadium in Jordan, where Iraq s Erbil are hosting.
Molina, who was a goalkeeper for Spain, Atletico Madrid and Deportivo La Coruna, is Villarreal s former coach.
Kitchee crushed Wofoo Tai Po 4-1 in their league opener on Friday.
They have a huge chance to reach their maiden AFC Cup final, while Erbil were…
Relegated Premier League trio Hull City, QPR and Burnley will all hit the road in the first round of the League Cup, while Yorkshire rivals Doncaster Rovers and Leeds United will face off at the Keepmoat Stadium.
Steve Bruce s Hull face a potential banana skin tie at League Two side Accrington Stanley, and they enter at the first stage having not had to play until round three in 2014-15 due to their UEFA Europa League commitments.
QPR finished bottom of the top flight in a poor campaign and Chris Ramsey s men travel to Huish Park to face League Two Yeovil Town in a match that was a Championship fixture as recently as the 2013-14 season.
Burnley were knocked out in round two by Sheffield Wednesday last term and Sean Dyche s side will hope to avoid another hasty …
Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker believes the club can challenge for major honours next term if they improve their consistency.
Arsene Wenger s side have not lifted a trophy since winning the FA Cup in 2005, despite being ever-present among the Premier League s top four throughout that period.
And Mertesacker, who has made 71 appearances for the Gunners since arriving from Werder Bremen in 2011, is keen to end that drought next term.
I would say that consistency is the most important thing. If we can do that then we should be challenging for trophies and titles, he said.
We haven t sold any players yet so we are coming from a good base at the moment, we re at a good level and no-one is leaving at the moment.
Maybe someone will come and strengthen our squad …
Chelsea coasted into the final of the FIFA Club World Cup with a 3-1 victory over Monterrey at the International Stadium in Yokohama.
The attacking midfield triumvirate of Eden Hazard, Oscar and Juan Mata sparkled as the Champions League holders eased to the win in the semi-final clash.
A well-taken first-half finish from Mata gave the Blues the lead, before a deflected Fernando Torres strike and an own goal from Darvin Chavez promptly after half-time helped see off the challenge of the CONCACAF champions, although Aldo De Nigris did score a superb consolation late on for the Mexican side.
A bright start from the west London side was rewarded in the 17th minute when Mata opened the scoring in style with a sweeping finish after an intricate passing move involvin…
Market: PSG win Both teams to score
Odds: 13/8 @
With the French Super Cup up for grabs on Wednesday night, PSG will welcome Toulouse to the Parc des Princes.
Starting with the hosts, while Nice might have caused PSG some mild headaches this season, it is no surprise that the French icons are tipped as a landslide contender to defend their Ligue 1 crown in 2024. Last seen heading into the festive interval with a 3-1 victory at home against Metz, Luis Enrique’s side are already holding a five-point buffer over the chasing pack. Eventually punching a Champions League knockout stage ticket last month and avoiding what would have been major European scrutiny, the former Barcelona boss will be confident of claiming a first piece of silverware of the season here. Lo…