Soccer Transfer Updates

Zidane reveals his admiration on Pogba:

Zidane revealed his admiration for the Juventus midfielder Pogba but refused to be drawn on the subject further.
He says "I'm very happy with the squad I have available. It's difficult to improve," Zidane said.

"Do I like Pogba? Of course, he's a very good player and every club wants the best players, but right now he's at Juve and we have a large squad already.
"There are still lots of players yet to join up with the squad and with the Euros going on we couldn't do anything. We have three games coming up and that's the focus at the moment."

'XHAKA THE PERFECT SIGNING FOR ARSENAL

Per Mertesacker speaks on his new team-mate Granit Xhaka is a leader and will be the "perfect signing" for Arsenal.
"I don't know him personally but that doesn't matter, we will get along with each other very quickly because he is a good player and has done so much for Borussia Monchengladbach," Mertesacker told Arsenal Player .
"He can speak German as well, so it will be joy to get his first year going and help him bed in as a player.

"He is a good passer as well, so he will set the tempo. I am looking forward to how he does it, how composed he will be in training and in the games. He will be the perfect signing for us."

LJAJIC JOINS TORINO

Adem Ljajic has joined Torino from AS Roma for a fee of 8.5m euros, Roma have confirmed.

The total sum could eventually rise to 9m euros, should both player and club meet agreed performance clauses.

The Serbian forward, who joined Roma in August 2013, scored 15 goals in 74 appearances for the club LJAJIC JOINS TORINO Adem Ljajic has joined Torino from AS Roma for a fee of 8.5m euros, Roma have confirmed.

The total sum could eventually rise to 9m euros, should both player and club meet agreed performance clauses.

The Serbian forward, who joined Roma in August 2013, scored 15 goals in 74 appearances for the club.

NIGERIA APPOINT LE GUEN

Nigeria have appointed former Rangers and Lyon coach Paul Le Guen to lead their qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup, where they are drawn in a difficult group along with Algeria, Cameroon and Zambia.

Former Cameroon coach Le Guen was chosen ahead of Belgian Tom Sainfiet and Salisu Yusuf, who has been the country's caretaker coach since May.

FORMER GUNNER RETURNS TO BRAZIL

Wellington Silva has left Arsenal and returned to former club Fluminense, according to the Brazilian club's Twitter account.

Silva joined Arsenal in 2010 but failed to make a Premier League appearance, most recently playing for Bolton Wanderers on loan.

PUGH JOINS BLACKPOOL

Danny Pugh has joined Blackpool on a one-year deal, with an option for a further year.

He becomes their sixth signing of the summer, having most recently been at Sky Bet League One side Bury.

"I'd spoken to the manager a couple of times on the phone and I was keen to meet up with the lads and get a couple of games and a couple of training sessions in.

I'm delighted to finally sign," Pugh told Blackpool's official website.

"It's quite a young team but there seems to be a good mix. I've got a little bit of experience, I'm maybe older than a few of the lads so hopefully I can bring something to the team. There's a lot to achieve here, promotion being the main one."

'NO REGRETS' FOR DEL BOSQUE

Outgoing Spain coach Vicente del Bosque, who won a World Cup and European Championship in charge, has no regrets as he prepares to leave his post at the end of July after eight years in charge.

Asked if he had any regrets following Spain's Euro 2016 last-16 exit to Italy, the 65-year-old former Real Madrid player and coach said: "No, to be honest I don't. I'm not saying that I'm leaving having completed every task I was set, because we knew that was impossible.

"To have won another World Cup and another Euro would have been virtually impossible. I go with a feeling of not leaving any loose ends," he told FIFA.com.

BIRIGHITTI EXPECTS COMPETITION

New Swansea signing Mark Birighitti expects plenty of competition at the Liberty Stadium, having joined today from the Newcastle Jets on a free transfer.

The goalkeeper, who will battle Lukasz Fabianski, Kristoffer Nordfeldt and Gerhard Tremmel for a starting spot, worked alongside Swansea coach Gabriele Ambrosetti at former club Varese, and said: "He's a fantastic person and I'm looking forward to working closely with him again.

"Before coming here I knew there would be strong competition at the club.

"But my plan is to take each training session as they come and try to be better than them. I have to make sure when the opportunity comes that I take the opportunity with both hands and don't look back."

N'KOUDOU: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

Tottenham are in talks to sign Marseille winger Georges-Kevin N'Koudou, according to Sky sources .

The 21-year-old is said to have come to Spurs' attention while they were scouting his former Marseille team-mate Michy Batshuayi, who joined Chelsea earlier this month.

Reports in France claim Spurs have already agreed a £10.8m fee with Marseille for N'Koudou, but who exactly is he? And is he a good fit for Mauricio Pochettino's side?