Football News: Sunderland Get Their Man, Cole Not Ready For The Beach And West Ham Hit By Injury Blow + More News

Image from: dailypost.co.uk

1. Transfer round up
Nicki Bille Nielsen, Esbjerg fB to Lech Poznan, £280,000
Djordje Despotovic, FC Astana to Spartaks, undisclosed fee
Andros Townsend, Tottenham Hotspur to Newcastle United, £10.99m
Isaac Promise, Mersin Idmanyurdu to Karabukspor, free
Pablo de Lucas, released by Beitar Jerusalem
Lago Junior, CD Mirandes to RCD Mallorca, £168,000
Lamine Kone, FC Lorient to Sunderland AFC, £4.55m
Henrik Bjordal, Aalesunds FK to Brighton & Hove Albion, undisclosed fee
Duncan, FC Midtjylland to Aarhus GF, £140,000
Agustin Torassa, CA Huracan to FK Partizani Tirane, undisclosed fee
Philippe Senderos, released by Aston Villa
Bengali-Fode Koita, Blackburn Rovers to Kasimpasa, £224,000
Zelao, Piracicaba to Penapolense, free
Mitchell Donald, Mordovia to Red Star Belgrade, £140,000

2. Sunderland finally clinch Kone deal
Sunderland's seemingly endless pursuit of Lamine Kone has finally come to an end after all, as the 26 year old centre back has joined the Mackems for £4.55m. Kone joins from French Ligue 1 side FC Lorient and will take the vacant number 23 shirt. This is the 3rd attempt from the Wearsiders to sign him, after the two previous tries fell through over personal terms, after the clubs had agreed a fee. Just a week ago, Sam Allardyce was saying that the deal was dead and would not happen, but they were revived over the weekend after the Black Cats received a loan bid from Sporting for Sebastian Coates, with an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season. "Strengthening our defensive options was a priority for us, and Lamine is a player that has impressed me when I've seen him play," said Allardyce. "He is big and strong - attributes you need to play in central defence in the Premier League, and his arrival will give us healthy competition for places in a key position." Allardyce is still continuing attempts to sign Arsenal right back Mathieu Debuchy. The former Newcastle United full back is unable to get in the Gunners team, with youngster Hector Bellerin having nailed down the right back berth, and is looking for a move away in this window to try and get in the France team for the European Championships in the summer.

3. Jenkinson finished for the season
On loan West Ham United right back Carl Jenkinson has been hit by a major injury blow as scans revealed he tore his cruciate ligament just ten minutes into the weekend's clash with Manchester City. Jenkinson has returned to parent club Arsenal for his rehabilitation, which is expected to see him out for nine months to a year. Even the best case scenario rules the 23 year old out for the rest of the season. Jenkinson joined Arsenal in 2011 from Charlton Athletic and has struggled to hold down a regular place in their side. The emergence of Hector Bellerin and signing of Mathieu Debuchy saw him surplus and sent out on loan to the Hammers last season, a loan which was repeated this season, though with less success as he has struggled again to hold down a place, even ahead of the arrival of new signing Sam Byram.

4. Sunderland bid for Jenkinson scuppered by injury
Following on from the story about on loan Arsenal right back Carl Jenkinson suffering an injury are reports that Sunderland had made a bid to sign the full back permanently. Jenkinson's loan spell with West Ham United was set to end, if the defender had agreed a deal with Sam Allardyce's Mackems, but his season ending knee injury has scuppered the deal. The Black Cats have already signed three defensive additions, as they search to build a side capable of avoiding the drop, but Allardyce is on the look out for a right back to improve the team. With Billy Jones currently first choice, but not favoured by Allardyce, summer signing Adam Matthews and on-loan Tottenham Hotspur right back DeAndre Yedlin unable to prove themselves capable of filling the role, the Wearsiders were casting the net wide in the search for a right back. They have now turned their attentions to another Arsenal fullback in the shape of former Newcastle United player Mathieu Debuchy.

5. Senderos leaves Villa
Arsenal defenders are filling the back pages at the moment, this time it is a former Gunner that is the subject of the story. Philippe Senderos was at one time hailed as a future superstar by Arsene Wenger, as he and Switzerland international defensive partner Johan Djourou were claimed to be the face of defending at the North London club. Now though, the 30 year old has fallen a long way, being released by struggling Aston Villa, as he had failed to even make their squad. After joining Arsenal in 2003 from Servette, Senderos never seemed able to make it through a match without a mistake or seven and he was sent out on loan to AC Milan after a falling out with Wenger. After that loan did not work out well for him, he had another loan spell, this time with Everton, but that again did not work out well and the Toffees did not make it permanent. A free transfer to Fulham followed, then a move to Valencia, again on a free, who released him in 2014. Villa stepped in, hoping his experience could guide some of the younger players in their squad, but he again flopped and is now, despite his 54 Swiss caps, a free agent.

6. Martinez blames officials for defeat
After Everton were beaten 3-1 by Manchester City in the Capital Cup semi final second leg, to send the Mancunians to Wembley to face Liverpool 4-3 on aggregate, Toffees' manager Roberto Martinez was furious with the officials. City's second goal of the night was shown by television replays to have come via a Raheem Sterling cross after the ball had left the field of play, and should instead have been an Everton goal kick. Martinez claimed that the ball was "clearly out of play", though it did need a replay to confirm that it was, and hit out at referee Martin Atkinson for not spotting it.

7. Premier League speedstars revealed
The Premier League have released a list of the fastest players that have played in this current season, the results might just surprise you:
1. Jamie Vardy - 35.44 km/h. The Leicester City striker has been destroying defenders all season with pace on his way to becoming top scorer.
2. Jeffrey Schlupp - 35.26 km/h. Another Foxes player makes the top five, this time the young winger/full back is the second quickest, when not missing out through injury.
3. Billy Jones - 35.07 km/h. The Sunderland right back is not exactly known for his explosive pace, but he has surprisingly made it to number three in this list.
4. Marc Albrighton - 35 km/h. Yet another Leicester speedster, this time former Aston Villa winger Albrighton, who has been one of the integral pieces putting the Foxes on top of the league.
5. Hector Bellerin - 34.74 km/h. The Arsenal right back is well known for his blistering pace, though he only just makes this list.

8. Warburton tips Kiernan to be a success in the English Prem
Rangers manager Mark Warburton has backed his central defender, Rob Kiernan, to make it down south in the English Premier League. 25 year old Irish centre back Kiernan was previously at Wigan Athletic in the English Championship, before Warburton swooped to take him north of the border to the Scottish Championship with the Glasgow giants. Warburton said: "He has that desire to become better and Rob is capable of going and playing in the English Premier League. David Weir has played at that highest level and thinks the same as I do. Rob has everything in his locker - he is both technically and physically outstanding. The work he does at Murray Park day in and day out is fantastic. He has everything and he could go on to play at the highest level. I haven't said it up until now, but I've been amazed that anyone would ever have been critical of Rob. He has been absolutely outstanding for us - his quality of pass, his strength, his desire has been absolutely first class." Warburton told the club website: "Tuesday was a day off for the players and Rob was one of many who came in to do their work and their cool down. He has come in here with a real focus and hunger to do well for the club and that has been displayed every time he has pulled on the shirt this season. I look forward to seeing Rob going from strength to strength. I've no doubt he will do."

9. Garcia has to settle for bench role
The arrival of former Barcelona and Liverpool star Luis Garcia in the A-League has created a lot of excitement, but Central Coast Mariners coach Tony Walmsley has confirmed that the fans will have to wait a bit longer before they get to see him start games. The 37 year old is still searching for match fitness and Walmsley expects the marquee signing to need a couple more weeks to get ready for a full debut. "I've been quite a while without training," Garcia said. "I've felt very good during this week and hopefully I can get some more minutes at the weekend, but most important is that the team understands that the kids are doing well. The team looked very good last weekend. It's true that we didn't get any points, but if we work the same way we're going to get a lot of things out of the next games." Walmsley is excited by the Spanish star's ability: "He moves beautifully, his awareness and technique and vision are what makes him a point of difference for us. He'll come on against Wellington, hopefully we're a goal or more to the good when he does and he can help the boys push on and win the game with his experience."

10. Cole denies he is in LA for a holiday
Former England left back Ashley Cole has jetted off to the warmth of Los Angeles and the delights of Major League Soccer with LA Galaxy. With some in Europe still seeing MLS as little more than a place for fading stars to go into semi-retirement, the 35 year old Cole has moved quickly to dismiss thoughts he is going there to relax on the beach. Cole has not played competitive football since March, when he was dropped by AS Roma, but the former Arsenal and Chelsea defender is looking to make his mark in the US. "Hopefully the LA fans will warm up to me," Cole told LAGalaxy.com. "I know that it won't be easy at the start, of course, but if I can just prove to them that I'm not here for a holiday, I'm here to work, I'm here to win things. I know that I'm 35, I'm not 21 anymore, so I have to understand that my body is not how it was years ago. I stay fit as much I can. I train as hard as I can, and I hope that I can bring trophies to the team. I hope to do that. In terms of proving people wrong, I've done that my entire career. I've always wanted to prove to people that I can play." Cole rejected a summer move to the Galaxy saying he was "not ready to relax on a beach yet."

Written by Tris Burke January 28 2016 08:32:40