[ Sunderland ]
look set to sign France under-21 midfielder
Alfred N'Diaye
after agreeing a fee with Turkish side Bursaspor.
Reports from the UK indicate Sunderland officials have upped their offer to Bursaspor after having an initial bid, said to be in the region of £2m (Dh11.6m), rejected.
The combative 21-year-old started his career with French club Nancy before moving to Bursaspor in July 2011.
N'Diaye is understood to be heading to England for a medical and to agree personal terms ahead of completing the deal.
---
[ AC Milan ]
have made
Robinho
unavailable for transfer in January after talks over a possible return to Santos broke down.
Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani had been in talks over a EU10m (Dh48.3m) deal with the forward's boyhood club but a satisfactory financial arrangement could not be agreed.
"All negotiations to sell Robinho are over, he has been withdrawn from the market," Galliani told the club's website.
"He wanted to go back to Santos but neither Robinho nor Milan could reach a financial agreement with the Brazilian club.
"I called president (Silvio) Berlusconi to let him know and we are both happy that the player will stay. Robinho is happy too as he didn't really want to leave Milan, but to return home.
"He has been withdrawn from the market and we are left with five strikers."
The deal makes a move by Milan for
[ Manchester City ]
striker
or
of Shanghai Shenhua less likely this January.
---
Perth Glory have ruled out making a move for former England striker
Michael Owen
.
Owen, who
to the Pro League during the summer, has so far failed to make an impact since opting for a move to
[ Stoke City ]
.
The 33-year-old has been widely linked with a switch to the A-League in the January transfer window, but Perth Glory have now moved to distance themselves from the reports.
"Michael is a player who comes with a high pedigree but it's not the direction I want to take the club," Ian Ferguson, the Perth coach, said in a statement.
"I am looking for a younger player and a player who has been playing more regularly."
---
Frank Lampard
will not be offered a new contract with
[ Chelsea ]
under any circumstances, the player's agent has claimed.
The 34-year-old has widely been expected to leave the club he joined back in 2001 at the end of this season.
But despite reports over the weekend suggesting Chelsea may be interested in keeping the player after all, and that Lampard was prepared to take a pay cut to remain at Stamford Bridge, Steve Kutner insists the club has told the former England midfielder he has no future there.
"Chelsea executives told Frank in Japan during the Club World Cup then again reconfirmed with me after the Everton victory that in no circumstances will he be offered a new contract to stay at the club after the end of this season," Kutner told the Daily Mirror.
"Nothing since has changed in any respect.
"Frank has had to accept that and just wants to carry on playing football for Chelsea so as to finish the season as successfully as possible for the club that he loves."
---
Ivan Perisic
has joined VfL Wolfsburg from Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund in the biggest deal of the Bundesliga transfer window so far.
The 23-year-old midfielder, who played in all three of Croatia's Euro 2012 matches, joined Dortmund in 2011 from Club Bruges.
However, he found himself behind players such as Marco Reus, Mario Goetze and Kevin Grosskreutz in the pecking order for a place in the team and has started only three league matches this season before Wolfsburg's EU8m (Dh38.7m) move.
"Ivan will give us a more variable attacking game," Allofs told the club's website.
---
Schalke could allow
Lewis Holtby
to complete his move to
[ Tottenham ]
this month, the German side's managing director has admitted.
The English Premier League side
with the Germany midfielder last week, paving the way for his move this summer.
But Horst Heldt said that could be brought forward if terms can be reached with Spurs.
"If Tottenham ask for Holtby in the January window, we will talk to them about it," he told the Daily Mail.
"Nothing has happened yet, but, from our point of view, we are prepared to speak to them.
"It would have to be done quickly, because we would have to find a replacement for him."
---
Central Coast Mariners goalkeeper
Mathew Ryan
's planned training period with Glasgow Rangers has been indefinitely postponed due to injury.
The 20-year-old Australia goalkeeper had been due to join the Scottish shied today for a 10-day training camp ahead of a possible move in September, but picked up a shoulder injury in the win over Western Sydney Wanderers yesterday.
"While the injury is minor, both clubs have agreed that it is in Ryan's best interests to remain in Australia under the care of the Mariners' medical department for the foreseeable future," the Mariners said.
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