Transfer talk: Burnley sign Irish defender Steven Reid; Bayern Munich sign Juan Bernat

Burnley, looking to bolster their ranks ahead of their return to the Premier League, signed the Irish defender on Monday, while Bayern Munich added to their depth with the 21-year-old Valencia defender.

Steven Reid, left, challenges Emile Heskey of Aston Villa while with Blackburn Rovers in a 2010 Premier League match. Nick Potts / PA / February 1, 2010

Agencies

Burnley

Former Republic of Ireland international defender Steven Reid has signed a one-year deal with Premier League newcomers Burnley.

Reid, 33, was a free agent after being released by West Brom at the end of last season.

He becomes Burnley’s fifth signing since they secured promotion following the arrivals of Michael Kightly, Matt Gilks, Marvin Sordell and Matt Taylor at Turf Moor.

“Steven is a very strong-minded professional and he has had years in the Premier League so he has that bit of experience and know-how,” manager Sean Dyche told the club’s website.

“I know him personally from his younger days at Millwall and he was a very solid pro then and he still is now, perhaps a more rounded version of what he was then.

“Along with Matty Taylor we want that experience in the building as well as the vibrancy in the team.

“Both of those players played in some really awkward games for West Brom and West Ham respectively and hopefully that experience can rub off on others.”

Reid began his professional career with Millwall before moving to Burnley’s east Lancashire rivals Blackburn in 2003.

He spent seven years at Ewood Park but had brief loan spells at QPR and West Brom before making a permanent move to The Hawthorns in 2010.

Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich have signed Spanish defender Juan Bernat from Valencia on a five-year contract.

Bayern sporting director Matthias Sammer said Monday that the 21-year-old Bernat is “a very good investment for the future” of the Bundesliga champions. Bayern didn’t disclose the transfer fee.

Bernat, a Spain under-21 international, joins fellow Spanish players Thiago Alcantara and Javi Martinez in coach Pep Guardiola’s squad.

Galatasaray

Former Italian World Cup coach Cesare Prandelli will replace Roberto Mancini as the next Galatasaray manager, the Turkish club announced on Monday.

Prandelli, 56, will replace fellow Italian Mancini, who left the club after less than a season in charge after leading the Istanbul side to a disappointing second-place finish in the Turkish top-flight last season.

Prandelli, who will be officially unveiled on Tuesday, resigned as Italy’s national team manager after the team failed to get past the group stage at the ongoing World Cup in Brazil.

Media reports had also linked former Everton and Manchester United manager David Moyes as a candidate for the post.

Evian

Danish international defender Jesper Juelsgaard has joined Ligue 1 club Evian on a three-year deal, the French outfit confirmed on Monday.

Capped two times for Denmark, the 25-year-old has played for the past six years with Danish top flight outfit FC Midtjylland.

Evian finished 14th in the 20-team league last season.

FC Basel

Japan striker Yoichiro Kakitani is set to join Swiss champions FC Basel, his Japanese club Cerezo Osaka said on Monday.

The 24-year-old, who played for Japan at the World Cup in Brazil, will be given a formal send-off by Cerezo after next Tuesday’s J-League game at home to Kawasaki Frontale, officials added on the club’s website.

“After the disappointment of the World Cup I’ve been thinking (about my future),” Kakitani said in a statement, referring to Japan’s meek World Cup exit. “I’ve been offered the chance to move to Europe so I’ve decided to take the challenge and move to Basel.”

Basel have won the Swiss Super League for the past five years and did the double over Chelsea in the group stages of the European Champions League, although they failed to progress to the knockout round.

Japan crashed out of the World Cup in the first round after losing 2-1 to Ivory Coast, drawing 0-0 with 10-man Greece and being thumped 4-1 by Colombia.

Melbourne Victory

Australian A-League club Melbourne Victory have signed veteran French defender Matthieu Delpierre to a one-year contract.

The 33-year-old Delpierre joins Victory from Dutch club FC Utrecht. He previously played 162 top flight matches for Stuttgart between 2004 and 2012 and, as captain, led Stuttgart to the Bundeliga title in 2007.

Victory coach Kevin Muscat said Delpierre, “is a proven performer with experience at the highest level against some of the best strikers in Europe, so we know he has what it takes to be successful in the A-League.”

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