Football News: Review Of The Day 8th October 2020
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Review of the Day
Contracts
Osasuna midfielder Ruben Garcia has signed a 4 year deal.
Transfers
PSV Eindhoven have completed the signing of free agent midfielder Mario Gotze. The 28 year old left Borussia Dortmund in the summer.
West Ham United defender Olatunji Akinola has joined Leyton Orient on loan for the rest of the season.
Norwich City defender Timm Klose has moved to FC Basel on a season long loan.
AZ Alkmaar have signed Stoke City defender Bruno Martins Indi on loan for the season.
Blackburn Rovers signed goalkeeper Antonis Stergiakis from Slavia Sofia.
Spezia have signed M'Bala Nzola on a free transfer from Trapani.
Free agent former Newcastle United winger Hatem Ben Arfa has signed for Girondins Bordeaux.
Another free agent midfielder was Kevin Stoger, the Austrian has signed for 1.FSV Mainz 05.
Former Manchester United youngster Adam Le Fondre has moved to Indian Super League side Mumbai City from Australian A-League club Sydney FC.
Gil Vicente of the Portugese Liga NOS have signed Yves Baraye from Parma.
Huesca striker Jonathan Toro has joined Portugese team Chaves on a free transfer.
Nantes have loaned Samuel Moutoussamy to Fortuna Sittard.
Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic has joined Porto on loan. Also joining Porto on loan from the English Premier League is West Ham United's Felipe Anderson.
Injury Round-Up
Scotland have lost a trio of players after Stuart Armstrong tested CV positive. Both Kieran Tierney and Ryan Christie have to self-isolate for 14 days due to being identified as close contacts. Southampton midfielder Armstrong was initially tested negative by the SFA before a UEFA test found him to be positive. Arsenal's Tierney and Celtic forward Christie have said they followed all social distancing rules and their clubs are seeking a clarification from UEFA. Scotland were already missing Scott McKenna, Liam Palmer and Oliver Burke through injury.
Edinson Cavani's Manchester United debut is almost certain to be delayed as the 33 year old striker has not been part of the 'elite athlete bubble' and so has to self-isolate for 14 days before he can beging training with the United squad.
Slovakia are without Napoli player Stanislav Lobotka due to an outbreak at Napoli which has seen them refuse to release their players for international duty and fail to turn up for their last Serie A game before the international break. Slovakia head coach Pavel Hapal said: "We did our best, but then the Italian club stopped communicating. Probably not only Napoli decided, but also someone from hygiene. This is strange because the Juventus players were able to travel and join their national teams."
After 3 of their goalkeepers, Andriy Pyatov, Andriy Lunin and Yuriy Pankiv, tested CV positive Ukraine have called up their assistant coach Oleksandr Shovkovskiy. The 45 year old last played for Dynamo Kiev before retiring in 2016. A Ukraine FA statement explained: "Oleksandr Shovkovskiy ended his professional career as a player in December 2016, but keeps himself in good physical shape, constantly conducting individual training. The coaching staff of the national team of Ukraine emphasises that it does not consider Oleksandr Shovkovskiy as a mandatory participant in today's match." It then went on to basically say that Shovkovskiy would only be called upon to play in desperation, as they had only one fit keeper to call upon.
Crewe Alexandra have confirmed that two more positive CV test results, on top of the previous ones to Ryan Wintle and Omar Beckles, led to the match against Oxford United on Saturday being postponed. Crewe boss David Artell said: "It has been a crazy, unexpected few days for us all. It has been tough. The players and staff were all tested over the weekend and we have had a couple of positives tests. They will self-isolate for 10 days and although they can't do much, we will set them a programme to keep them as fit as we can. They are all in disbelief because they have no symptoms but this is the nature of the virus. It is amongst us but the majority of the tests are negative, so there is a bit of comfort in the fact that our procedures and practices are in place and seem to be working. Of course, the timing of Omar's test was terrible and like I've said on Saturday, the right decision was made. I was in full support of that decision and now we have to move on and think about Wigan on Saturday."
Ipswich Town midfielder Flynn Downes has been ruled out for 2 months with a knee injury he suffered on Saturday playing against MK Dons.
Championship side Rotherham United have lost winger Chiedozie Ogbene for about 4 months after the 23 year old had surgery to repair knee cartilage.
Reigning Scottish champions Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard has tested positive while on France Under-21 duty and will miss European qualifiers while he self-isolates.
Managerial Changes
Notingham Forest have sacked head coach Sabri Lamouchi and immediately appointed Chris Hughton to replace him. Hughton has been out of work since Brighton & Hove Albion let him go in 2019. Lamouchi was in charge of Forest for just over 15 months and had signed a new contract in June.
Disciplinary Charges
Barnsley defender Bambo Diaby has been banned from football for 2 years and sacked by the club. The 22 year old defender was found to be in breach of the Football Association's doping regulations after a urine sample showed traces of Higenamine when tested in January 2020. A Barnsley statement read: "The FA Anti-Doping Regulation mandate a two-year ban where an individual is unable to show that they meet the strict requirements to sustain a plea of No Fault or Negligence, or No Significant Fault or Negligence. Despite making sincere efforts to identify the source of the prohibited substance, Bambo Diaby has been unable to do so. Because of this, a two-year mandatory ban has been imposed by World Anti-Doping Agency and the FA. Bambo Diaby was not found guilty of knowingly ingesting a banned substance. Both Bambo Diaby and Barnsley FC have been honest and compliant throughout the process. However, following the outcome, regretfully Bambo Diaby's contract has been consensually terminated."
Swindon Town manager Richie Wellens has been given a 1 match touchline ban for breaching conduct rules during Saturday's defeat against Peterborough United. Wellens admitted to the charge and will also receive the standard League One penalty of a £1000 fine.
Today's List
The 25 most expensive transfers of the summer, price in euros:
1. Kai Havertz Bayer Leverkusen to Chelsea for 80m
2. Arthur Barcelona to Juventus for 72m
3. Victor Osimhen LOSC Lille to Napoli for 70m
4. Ruben Dias Benfica to Manchester City for 68m
5. Miralem Pjanic Juventus to Barcelona for 60m
6. Alvaro Morata Chelsea to Atletico Madrid 56m
7. Timo Werner RB Leipzig to Chelsea 53m
8. Ben Chilwell Leicester City to Chelsea 50.2m
9. Thomas Partey Atletico Madrid to Arsenal for 50m
10. Mauro Icardi Inter Milan to Paris Saint-Germain for 50m
11. Nathan Ake Bournemouth to Manchester City for 45.3m
12. Leroy Sane Manchester City to Bayern Munich for 45m
13. Diogo Jota Wolverhampton Wanderers to Liverpool for 44.7m
14. Achraf Hakimi Real Madrid to Inter Milan for 40m
15. Hakim Ziyech Ajax to Chelsea for 40m
16. Fabio Silva Porto to Wolverhampton Wanderers for 40m
17. Donny van de Beek Ajax to Manchester United for 39m
18. Wesley Fofana AS Saint-Etienne to Leicester City for 35m
19. Giovani Lo Celso Real Betis to Tottenham Hotspur for 32m
20. Jonathan David KAA Gent to LOSC Lille for 32m
21. Trincao Braga to Barcelona 31m
22. Ollie Watkins Brentford to Aston Villa for 30.8m
23. Nelson Semedo Barcelona to Wolverhampton Wanderers for 30m
24. Rodrigo Valencia to Leeds United for 30m
25. Sergio Reguilon Real Madrid to Tottenham Hotspur for 30m
Written by Tris Burke October 07 2020 22:41:36
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