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Football News: Chelsea Defender To Stay Put, Palermo In Chaos (Again) And More

Chelsea Defender To Stay Put, Palermo In Chaos (Again) And More
Image from: walesonline.co.uk

1. Transfer Round Up
Confirmed January transfers:
Liam Walsh Everton to Yeovil Town on loan
Conor Townsend Hull City to Scunthorpe United on loan
Dan Lavercombe Torquay United to Wigan Athletic undisclosed fee, loaned back to Torquay for the remainder of the season
Michael Harriman QPR to Wycombe Wanderers undisclosed fee.
Simon Dawkins Derby County to San Jose Earthquakes undisclosed fee.
Nick Blackman Reading to Derby County £2.5m
Craig Alcock Sheffield United to Doncaster Rovers undisclosed fee
Tyrone Barnett Shrewsbury Town to Southend United on loan.
Joe Cole Aston Villa to Coventry City free
Ashley Fletcher Manchester United to Barnsley on loan
Luke Hendrie Burnley to York City on loan
Jake Kean Norwich City to Colchester United on loan
Jan Kirchhoff Bayern Munich to Sunderland undisclosed fee
Anthony Knockaert Standard Liege to Brighton & Hove Albion undisclosed fee
Ian Lawlor Manchester City to Bury on loan
Liam Lawrence Shrewsbury Town to Bristol Rovers free
Andy Mangan Tranmere Rovers to Shrewsbury Town undisclosed fee
Danny Philliskirk Oldham Athletic to Blackpool undisclosed fee
Shani Tarashaj Grasshoppers Zurich to Everton undisclosed fee
Mark Yeates Oldham Athletic to Blackpool free

2. Woodrow out for 12 weeks
Fulham have been hit by news they have lost their England under 21 striker Cauley Woodrow to a foot injury. The 21 year old has been a regular this season, making 15 appearances and scoring 4 goals, but now he is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines with his injury. An X-ray has revealed that his fifth metatarsal is fractured.

 

3. Palermo in crisis again as manager refuses to speak to players
Palermo are well known for being a club where chaos rules at the best of times, but they have stepped it up to a whole new level. Head coach Davide Ballardini has fallen out with club captain Stefano Sorrentino, and he is refusing to talk to the players as a result. "He isn't speaking to us. Ballardini did not speak to the team before the game, at half-time or after the match," Sorrentino told Sky Italia. "The last two days have been chaotic. I will not allow anyone to insult or doubt the professionalism and moral integrity of this team. If they do, then they have to deal with me. Did Ballardini doubt our moral integrity? You said it, not me. I reacted the way I did yesterday because that's what I am like, I am face to face. I prefer to be called rubbish than to have my professionalism doubted. If that happens, I become vicious." Ballardini was hired in November, after his predecessor, Giuseppe Iachini, was sacked following a victory over Chievo. Ballardini was sacked last Thursday after seven games in charge, with Iachini returning to take charge. Just three days later Iachini was sacked and Ballardini re-hired after Iachini asked for a few signings for his squad.

4. Michu gets back to his goalscoring ways
It has been a difficult period for Michu, since his season of goalscoring heroics after arriving at Swansea City from Rayo Vallecano. His signing turned out to be inspired, only for injury setbacks to plague him ever since. Now, in his second match of a return with Spanish part timers Union Popular de Langreo, Michu has found his scoring touch once more with two goals.


 

5. Rahman staying with Chelsea
Left back Baba Rahman has struggled to break into the Chelsea side since joining from Augsburg in the summer, and rumours have linked the Ghana player with a loan move away in the January transfer window. Rahman has made just 4 Premier League appearances so far for Chelsea, plus another 3 in the Champions League and 2 in the League Cup. His advisor has ruled out any possibility of him seeking a loan move in January, despite the full back having yet to get a game under new boss Guus Hiddink. Kurt Okraku, who acts as an advisor to Rahman, was quoted on GhanaWeb as saying: "There is nothing lined up for now. He is certainly going to stay at Chelsea."

6. Caley Thistle release Lopez
Spanish striker Dani Lopez has had his Inverness Caledonian Thistle contract with six month still remaining. Following an incident in an U20 match versus St. Johnstone in November, where he was suspended after he allegedly spat on an opponent. Lopez has scored the only goal of the game, before his sending off. Lopez only joined the Highlands club in the summer, after a trial from Spanish side La Roda.

 

7. Cardiff look to re-lay pitch
Cardiff City have had some concerns over the state of the pitch, and now they have revealed they intend to re-lay it before the season ends. With Wales playing home internationals at the stadium, the club are intending to get the pitch down in time for the international friendly with Northern Ireland, which is set to take place on the 24th March. "We'll see if there's a period we can maybe do something about it because it's not an easy surface," said Bluebirds manager Russell Slade. "There are certain companies who will get it down in a very quick period of time if you need to do something, but it will be a financial decision for that. We're talking about that with [Cardiff chief executive] Ken Choo and Wayne Nash, the stadium manager. Wales also like playing here so it will be probably beneficial for both of us if we get the right decision. All of us are talking." The pitch, which is a new style mix of synthetic fibres and natural grass, was intended to be relaid in the summer months, but those plans had to be deferred because of a match between Wales and Belgium in June.

8. Celtic fans set for more trouble over flares
Celtic have a UEFA charge pending from incidents in a Europa League match with Fenerbahce in December, when flares were let off by the Celtic fans. Hoops fans will now face another charge after flares were fired off from the Celtic supporters during a 3-0 Scottish Cup win over Stranraer. Celtic's manager Ronny Deila has critised the fans for their actions. "We don't want this," Deila said. "It is something we need to get stopped. It is not positive for anybody and we don't want anything to do with it. Safety is the most important thing. It's something that is making a bad reputation for the club. We've talked about it a lot and we have to get it away from this club. I don't know what kind of sanctions we could face, but it's important we follow the rules and that people are safe when they come to matches. That is why we have football as a cultural thing that everybody can be part of."

 

9. Udinese sell stadium naming rights
Serie A's Udinese Calcio have sold the naming rights to their revamped stadium to carmakers Dacia. The Romanian company are a part of the Renault Group and have been the main sponsor of Udinese since 2009. The Stadio Friuli will now be known as the Dacia Arena Friuli after the renaming. This is the first time an automotive brand has taken the naming rights to a Serie A stadium.

10. Real Betis sack Pepe Mel
Former West Bromwich Albion boss Pepe Mel has been sacked by Primera Liga side Real Betis, following a run of bad form recently. This was Mel's second spell in charge of Betis, having returned in December 2014 and leading them back to the top flight at the end of the season. Betis have struggled and a defeat against Getafe left them 15th in the league table, 5 points above the relegation places. Betis have lost their last 3 league matches and have not won in 8.

Written by Tris Burke January 11 2016 15:49:29