JUVENTUS
Massimiliano Allegri was on Wednesday appointed the new manager of Serie A champions Juventus less than 24 hours after Antonio Conte quit the post.
Allegri has been out of work since his sacking by AC Milan in January. The 47-year-old won the title in his first season (2010/2011) in charge.
Milan finished runners-up the following campaign before the club’s fortunes dipped.
Conte, who left Juve after guiding the club to a third consecutive title, is tipped to succeed Cesare Prandelli as national team manager.
Prandelli stood down after Italy’s first round knockout at the World Cup.
Conte led Juve to a third consecutive title in the 2013-14 campaign, the first time the club has achieved the feat since a five-season title run in the 1930s.
He is widely expected to become Italy’s new coach. Cesare Prandelli resigned after the Azzurri exited the World Cup at the group stage in Brazil.
More transfer news: Mario Balotelli’s immediate future is with AC Milan
WEST BROMWICH
West Brom midfielder Graham Dorrans has signed a new three-year contract at The Hawthorns, the Premier League club have announced.
A 12-month option on Dorrans’ previous deal had already been activated by Albion this summer and he has now put pen to paper on fresh terms that commit him to the Baggies until 2017.
The 27-year-old Scotland international has been at West Brom since the summer of 2008.
And he told the club’s official website: “I’m happy to get my new contract finalised.
“We’ve been in talks for a couple of months and I’m glad to get it over the line. I’d like to thank my agent and the club for getting it sorted out.
“I’ve enjoyed my six years at Albion, I’m looking for a testimonial now!
“It’s been a good six years and that’s the reason why I’ve signed the extension. I’m looking forward to getting going now for the new season.”
Since joining from Livingston, Dorrans has made a total of 167 appearances for Albion in all competitions and scored 25 goals.
After only featuring once in the Premier League between September and March last term, he finished the campaign by starting every one of the Baggies’ last 10 games under now-departed head coach Pepe Mel.
Dorrans said: “It was a difficult start for me last season but it was about getting in the team and staying in there, and that’s what I’m hoping to do this year.
“I’m aiming to get in at the start of this season and stay in the team for the rest of the campaign.”
Read more: Costa arrives at Chelsea; Alves meets with Enrique; Napoli in negotiations over Michu
PORTO
Porto have signed Holland defender Bruno Martins Indi from Feyenoord for an undisclosed fee, the Portuguese club have announced.
The 22-year-old centre-back, who featured in six games as Holland reached the World Cup semi-finals and won the third-place play-off game, has signed a four-year contract at the Estadio do Dragao.
Martins Indi had reportedly been a transfer target for Louis van Gaal, the outgoing Holland manager who officially takes charge of Barclays Premier League club Manchester United this week.
Speaking through Feyenoord’s official Twitter account, Martins Indi said: “I’ve always said that if I left the club then it would be to make a step up.
“As well as saying a special ‘thank you’ to my team-mates, I would like to thank the Feyenoord fans for their unconditional support.”
A further tweet from the Rotterdam club read: “After many years at Feyenoord we would like to wish Bruno every success with Porto and in his future career.”
The left-footed Martins Indi graduated from the youth academy at De Kuip to make 102 Eredivisie appearances for Feyenoord and, having made his Holland debut in 2012, has so far earned 22 senior caps with the Oranje.
QUEENs PARK RANGERS
QPR’s Wembley hero Bobby Zamora has signed a new one-year contract with the club.
Zamora scored the last-minute goal that earned Harry Redknapp’s men a play-off final win over Derby in May, granting them an instant return to the top flight.
It had appeared he might not be going back to the Premier League with them, though, as an extension to his expired deal was not agreed.
He has now penned a 12-month contract, however.
“I’m over the moon,” said Zamora after agreeing to stay with the club until the summer of 2015.
“I’ve had an up-and-down time at QPR. I started off really well but then picked up a couple of injuries and didn’t perform as well as I wanted to.
“But at the end of last year, after coming back following injury, I thought whenever I was called upon to do a job, I did it well.”
Zamora has made 59 appearances since joining QPR from Fulham, scoring 11 times, with his most recent goal valued at £100million.
BESIKTAS
Besiktas are in talks to sign Chelsea’s Senegalese striker Demba Ba, the Turkish side announced on Wednesday.
“Besiktas has begun talks with Chelsea for the transfer of Demba Ba,” the club said in a statement, without giving further details.
Turkish media said that negotiations were already advanced and Ba, 29, was on his way to Istanbul for a medical later Wednesday.
Previous reports suggested Beskitas would be acquiring Ba on loan but it was not immediately clear what form the final deal would take.
Under Croatian manager Slaven Bilic, Besiktas will be looking in the coming season to improve on last year’s third place in the Super Lig behind Istanbul rivals Fenerbahce and Galatasaray.
The team also has a place in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League.
NEWSCASTLE UNITED
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew is poised to make a breakthrough in his search for a new strikeforce, with the club closing in on Monaco’s Emmanuel Riviere.
Press Association Sport understands the two clubs have reached agreement over the £4.7million-rated 24-year-old, who could head for Tyneside within the next 24 hours to clinch a move.
Riviere would become Pardew’s fifth summer signing, with Holland defender Daryl Janmaat yet to formally complete his switch to Tyneside from Feyenoord.
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