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THOMAS PARTEY COMPLETES MOVE TO ARSENAL.

Midfielder Thomas Partey has joined Arsenal on a long-term contract from Atletico Madrid.

The 27-year-old scored four goals in 46 appearances as Atletico finished third in LaLiga and reached the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals last season.

Gunners manager Mikel Arteta said he is delighted to finally acquire his long-time target, who joins for an undisclosed fee.

“We have been watching Thomas for a while, so we’re now delighted to add such a high quality player to our squad,” Arteta told the club’s official website.

“He is a dynamic midfielder with great energy. He brings a lot of experience from a top club that have competed at the highest level in LaLiga and the Champions League for several years.”

Partey joins fellow new signings Willian, Gabriel and Runar Alex Runarsson at Emirates Stadium. Arsenal also wrapped up permanent deals for loanees Pablo Mari and Cedric Soares this summer.

The Ghana international will wear the No 18 shirt.

Arsenal’s next match is at Manchester City on Saturday 17 October.

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BAYERN MUNICH CONFIRM THE SIGNING OF ERIC MAXIM CHOUPO-MOTING FROM PSG

Bayern Munich have confirmed the signing of former Stoke and Paris Saint-Germain striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting on a short-term contract until the summer of 2021.

Choupo-Moting has been without a club since leaving PSG in August, with his last appearance actually the 2020 Champions League against Bayern in Lisbon.

The 31-year-old Cameroon international was born in Germany and started his career with Hamburg, before later playing for Nurnberg, Mainz and Schalke.

Following a disappointing season with Stoke in 2017/18 that ended in relegation, Choupo-Moting’s switch to PSG soon afterwards was surprising enough. With only nine goals in 51 appearances under his belt, a move to Bayern now comes as an even greater shock.

But the player himself is revelling in the opportunity to play for another huge club.

“It’s a great feeling to come back to the Bundesliga – and then to the biggest club in Germany,” he told his new club’s official website.

“Who wouldn’t want to play for FC Bayern? It’s an honor to play for this club. At FC Bayern, the aim is always to win everything, and I am highly motivated to achieve these goals.”

Sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic added, “I am happy that we were able to sign Eric. He gives our squad a depth on the offensive, especially in the centre, which we will need.

“Eric gained international experience at Paris Saint-Germain, he knows the Bundesliga, Eric is coming on a free transfer. It all fits together very well.”

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TRANSFER DEADLINE DAY: EVERTON SIGNS GODFREY FROM NORWICH CITY.

Everton have announced the first signing of Transfer Deadline Day in defender Ben Godfrey from Norwich City.

The centre-back joins on a five-year deal as Everton’s fifth signing of the summer and has been given the No 22 shirt at Goodison Park.

“The aim for me at Everton is to win trophies and win games,” the 22-year-old told Everton’s official website.

“This is a club full of history that has an exciting team full of world-class players who will help me kick on to the next level.

“The manager’s past speaks for itself. He has worked with some top-class centre-backs. I will be able to learn so much from him.”

Godfrey returns to the Premier League after suffering relegation with Norwich last season, making 30 appearances in a breakthrough top-flight campaign.

He will spend the international break with England’s Under-21 side.

Everton’s next match is a Merseyside derby at home to Liverpool that the Toffees will head into as leaders.

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PSG SIGN KEAN ON LOAN FROM EVERTON

Everton striker Moise Kean will spend the rest of the season with Paris Saint-Germain after completing a loan move to the French champions on Sunday.

Italy international Kean, who arrived at Everton from Juventus in August 2019, has scored four goals in 37 appearances for the Merseyside team in all competitions.

The 20-year-old Kean has struggled for regular first-team opportunities under Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti.

The contracts of PSG strikers Edinson Cavani and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting expired at the end of last season and Kean will bolster their attacking options which include Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Mauro Icardi.

“I am really proud and happy to become a Paris Saint-German player,” Kean told PSG’s club website. “It is one of the best clubs in the world as shown by their Champions League campaign last season where they reached the final.

“I look forward to playing alongside some of the best players in the world.”

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WOLVES COMPLETE LOAN SIGNING OF AIT-NOURI

Wolverhampton Wanderers have announced the signing of French youth international full-back Rayan Ait-Nouri on loan for the rest of 2020/21 campaign.

The 19-year-old joins from Ligue 1 side Angers with Wolves having the option of making the move permanent.

“It’s a massive club, a big club and I always had it very clear in my mind that I wanted to come to Wolves and so I’m very happy,” he told the club’s

“I’ll be aiming to settle into the club as quickly as I can, and with the help of my team-mates, get in the best shape I can, and to try and play as many games as I can in the Premier League, because it’s a league you dream about playing in.”

Ait-Nouri, who has represented his country at under-21 level, had two assists in his opening three fixtures last season as he helped Angers finish 11th in the league.

Wolves are next in action on Monday 19 October when they travel to Leeds United.

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SOUTHAMPTON SIGN FRENCH MIDFIELDER DIALLO.

Southampton have completed the signing of central midfielder Ibrahima Diallo from Ligue 1 side Brest for an undisclosed fee.

The 21-year-old has signed a four-year contract and is Southampton’s third signing of the summer transfer window.

“He’s a very smart one, a very clever one, he reads the game very well,” Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl told the club’s official website.

“He’s also quick and dynamic, against the ball very aggressive and with the ball also with good decision making, so he is a player who I think fits perfectly in our team.”

Diallo graduated from the Monaco academy before going on to make his name with Brest, a club he signed for permanently in 2019 following an initial successful loan spell with whom he won promotion in 2019.

He caught the eye in Ligue 1 last season where Diallo made 27 appearances, earning him a call-up to the France Under-21 team last month.

Southampton, who beat West Bromwich Albion 2-0 on Sunday, next visit Chelsea on Saturday 17 October.

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Ruben Dias joins City

Manchester City have signed 23-year-old defender Ruben Dias from Benfica on a six-year deal for about £65m.

Argentine centre-back Nicolas Otamendi has moved the other way for £13.7m.

Dias becomes City boss Pep Guardiola’s third significant summer signing, following the arrivals of defender Nathan Ake and forward Ferran Torres.

“To have the opportunity to join a club like Manchester City is a fantastic opportunity for me and one I couldn’t turn down,” said Dias.

“Their success speaks for itself. They have been the dominant team in England over the last few years, playing an attacking brand of football which I feel suits my own game.

“It is really exciting to be part of such a talented squad and to play for a world class manager like Pep Guardiola, who has a proven track record of developing young players like myself.”

Portugal international Dias graduated from the Benfica academy before making 113 senior appearances, and winning the Portuguese title in 2018-19.

He has also won 19 caps for Portugal and he will bolster the City defence, which conceded five goals in their recent defeat to Leicester City.

Dias has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal in recent years, but he completes Guardiola’s search for a right-sided central defender.

He is being touted as Vincent Kompany’s replacement, with Guardiola opting to utilise Fernandinho as a central defender last season following the influential Belgian’s departure.

Although City are paying more than the £60m release clause which existed in Dias’ previous contract, it is less than the £80m he has in the current one, which he signed in November 2019.

“Ruben is a player we have admired for some time and we have been impressed with how he has progressed at Benfica,” said City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain.

“He has developed into a real leader and as a defender, he has all the attributes we are looking for. He is strong in the air, good in one-v-one situations and technically, he is very good, so we are confident he can thrive in our system.”

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BENFICA ANNOUNCE THE TRANSFER OF RUBEN DIAS TO MAN CITY.

Benfica have announced that they have agreed a deal to sell the centre-back Ruben Dias to Manchester City for €68m plus a potential €3.6m in add-ons. Nicolas Otamendi will join Benfica or a fee of €15m.

Dias, the Portugal international, has agreed a five-year contract with Pep Guardiola’s side, while Otamendi will join Benfica on a three-year deal. The Argentinian leaves City after five seasons at the Etihad Stadium.

Dias will now fly to Manchester to complete a medical and should be unveiled this week. The 23-year-old is a product of Benfica’s academy and has 19 international caps. The defender was named man of the match in Portugal’s 2019 Nations League final victory against the Netherlands.

Guardiola has already recruited Nathan Ake this summer in a bid to strengthen his defence. City had been keen on Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly but were unwilling to meet the Italian club’s €80m asking price. On Sunday they lost 5-2 to Leicester City.

Dias’s arrival may mean Eric Garcia is allowed to join Barcelona. The centre-back wants to move with his City contract expiring next summer, and the La Liga side are expected to step up their interest. Jean-Clair Todibo may be sold to raise funds, with Everton and Fulham reportedly interested in the French defender.

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AC MILAN, ROMA JOIN RACE FOR NORWICH MAX AARONS.

AC Milan and Roma have joined the list of clubs who want to sign Max Aarons from Norwich City.

Both Italian clubs intend to submit a bid to Norwich for 20-year-old Aarons in the near future.

Barcelona and Bayern Munich also want him if they fail to sign Ajax’s 19-year-old USA international right-back Sergino Dest.

Aarons, however, would like to wait a little longer to see how the situation with Dest develops, with both Barcelona and Bayern having previously expressed concrete interest in the highly-rated England U21 defender.

It was reported earlier this month that Barcelona had agreed personal terms with Aarons over a loan move to La Liga.

But the deal broke down after Norwich were reluctant to let the defender leave because there was no obligation to buy at the end of the loan.

Earlier reports from Germany also showed that Bayern were prepared to pay €20m (£18.3m) to sign Aarons permanently, while Bayer Leverkusen have also been keen on the defender.

£30m-rated centre-back Ben Godfrey has also attracted interest from AC Milan, and from Leverkusen.

Aarons enjoyed an impressive 2019/20 campaign under Daniel Farke, excelling in 40 appearances in all competitions, despite Norwich’s relegation to the Sky Bet Championship.

He is under contract at Carrow Road until June 2024.

Aarons could become the second player to move elsewhere in the window following Norwich’s demotion to the second tier, with Jamal Lewis having already joined Newcastle United for £15m.

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LEIPZIG SIGNS ALEXANDER SORLOTH.

RB Leipzig have completed the signing of Norway international striker Alexander Sorloth from English Premier League club Crystal Palace.

The 24-year-old, who scored 33 goals in 49 appearances whilst on loan at Trabzonspor last season, has signed a five-year deal.

“I made up my mind to join Leipzig soon after the talks,” Sorloth told the club website. “The club impressed in the league last season, and made people stand up and take note in the Champions League.

“The attacking football favoured by Julian Nagelsmann suits my playing style perfectly. I’m looking forward to the challenge of playing in the Bundesliga and the Champions League.”

Sorloth top scored in the Turkish Süper Lig and domestic cup in 2019/20, with 24 and seven goals respectively.

It marked a career-best return for the 24-time Norway international, who has also played in the Netherlands (Groningen), Denmark – where he hit 10 goals and won the league title with Midtjylland – England (Palace) and Belgium (Gent) since leaving his homeland in January 2016.

He started out in the youth ranks of Rosenborg and made his professional debut for the club, but it was his 13 goals in 26 games for Bodo/ Glimt in the 2015 Tippeligaen that gave his career wings.

“We’ve signed our number one candidate for the attack in Alexander Sorloth,” commented Leipzig sporting director Markus Krösche. “He’s a physical and technical player, who’s strong in the air and a good finisher. Alexander has all the attributes you need as a footballer.

“He had a fantastic season in Turkey, where he showed himself to be a goalscorer and provider. We’re looking forward to working together to achieve our stated goals for the season ahead.”

Sorloth, whose Bundesliga debut could come as soon as Leipzig’s Matchday 2 encounter with Bayer Leverkusen on 26 September, is an international teammate of Borussia Dortmund forward Erling Haaland. The duo scored twice apiece in Norway’s 5-1 UEFA Nations League win over Northern Ireland on 7 September.

The Norwegian represents the fifth new face of the post-Timo Werner era, following the arrival of Benjamin Henrichs (AS Monaco, loan), Hwang Hee-chan (Red Bull Salzburg), Josep Martinez (Las Palmas) and Lazar Samardzic (Hertha Berlin). Angelino has also re-signed for the club on another loan deal from Manchester City.

Sorloth will wear the No.19 shirt.