HERE ARE THE good, the bad, and the unlikely football moves being talked about today…
DUTCH MIDFIELDER Wesley Sneijder has completed a move to Ligue Un side Nice.
The 33-year-old former Ajax, Real Madrid and Inter Milan star had been a free agent since leaving Galatasaray last month, and he links up with former team-mate Mario Balotelli in France.
Premier League newcomers Brighton and Hove Albion have broken their club transfer record to secure the services of Dutch international Davy Propper from PSV Eindhoven.
With Virgil van Dijk handing in a transfer request in an effort to force through his move to Liverpool, the Saints are said to be preparing a £30 million bid for Middlesbrough defender Ben Gibson, who they see as a replacement.
Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier paid Laval £500,000 for French-born Malian defender Djimi Traore in 1999.
Arriving as a 19-year-old, he struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League but found more regular game-time under Rafael Benitez — making a total of 141 appearances for the Reds over a seven-year spell.
Awkward on the ball and prone to a mistake, Traore went on to achieve cult hero status at the club and even had a chant (to the tune of Michael Jackson’s ‘Don’t Blame it on the Boogie’) sang about him.
Traore and Andriy Shevchenko of AC Milan during the 2005 Champions League final. Mike Egerton
Mike Egerton
Traore had spells at Charlton Athletic, Portsmouth, Rennes, Birmingham City, Monaco, Marseille and Seattle Sounders before retiring in 2014. He works as assistant coach at the Sounders these days.
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Sneijder joins Balotelli in France, Saints line up Van Dijk replacement and today's transfer news
HERE ARE THE good, the bad, and the unlikely football moves being talked about today…
DUTCH MIDFIELDER Wesley Sneijder has completed a move to Ligue Un side Nice.
The 33-year-old former Ajax, Real Madrid and Inter Milan star had been a free agent since leaving Galatasaray last month, and he links up with former team-mate Mario Balotelli in France.
Premier League newcomers Brighton and Hove Albion have broken their club transfer record to secure the services of Dutch international Davy Propper from PSV Eindhoven.
The 25-year-old midfielder has signed a four-year deal with Chris Hughton’s Seagulls.
With Virgil van Dijk handing in a transfer request in an effort to force through his move to Liverpool, the Saints are said to be preparing a £30 million bid for Middlesbrough defender Ben Gibson, who they see as a replacement.
Both Chelsea and Manchester are chasing Paris Saint-Germain’s Ivorian full-back Serge Aurier, potentially available for around £27m.
And there are also reports that United are keen to tempt England international Danny Rose away from Tottenham.
Having joined Stoke City for a club record £18.3m in the 2016 January transfer window, French midfielder Giannelli Imbula appears to be on his way out of the club with Champions League semi-finalist Monaco reportedly reaching an agreement with the Potters.
Meanwhile, Tottenham flop Moussa Sissoko, who joined Spurs for £35m last summer, looks set to depart for Turkish club Trabzonspor.
Retro Deal of the Day: Djimi Traore
Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier paid Laval £500,000 for French-born Malian defender Djimi Traore in 1999.
Arriving as a 19-year-old, he struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League but found more regular game-time under Rafael Benitez — making a total of 141 appearances for the Reds over a seven-year spell.
Awkward on the ball and prone to a mistake, Traore went on to achieve cult hero status at the club and even had a chant (to the tune of Michael Jackson’s ‘Don’t Blame it on the Boogie’) sang about him.
He is likely to be remembered most for winning the 2005 Champions League in Istanbul and a hilarious back-heeled own-goal against Burnley in the FA Cup that same year.
Traore had spells at Charlton Athletic, Portsmouth, Rennes, Birmingham City, Monaco, Marseille and Seattle Sounders before retiring in 2014. He works as assistant coach at the Sounders these days.
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Ben Gibson Davy Propper Djimi Traore Rumour Mill Tittle-tattle Transfer Gossip Virgil van Dijk Wesley Sneijder