Carroll to miss start of season

Jose Fonte has joined Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang for an undisclosed fee, West Ham have confirmed.

The 34-year-old signed for the Hammers from Southampton for a reported £8million in January last year, but has managed only eight appearances this season.

West Ham United can confirm that Jose Fonte has agreed a deal to sign for Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang for an undisclosed fee, the club said in a statement.

Everyone at West Ham United would like to thank Jose for his efforts during his time at the club and wish him a successful future with Dalian Yifang.

Fonte, who has been recovering from an ankle injury in recent weeks, saw his relationship with West Ham sour following comments from owner David Sullivan.

The Portugal i…

Ronald Koeman claimed the first win of his second spell in charge of the Netherlands as the Oranje dispatched 10-man Gibraltar 3-0.

Nathan Ake scored twice in a game that saw the Netherlands have 50 attempts without allowing one at the other end, as Koeman s team got up and running in Euro 2024 qualifying following last week s heavy defeat to France.

Ake s second-half double came after Memphis Depay had put the Dutch ahead against the Group B minnows in Rotterdam on Monday.

It marked a 19th straight defeat in Euro qualifying for Gibraltar, who had Liam Walker sent off for a rash challenge on Dutch debutant Mats Wieffer.

In need of a response following their hammering in Paris, the Netherlands had control from the off, and the lead came in the 23rd minute.…

Unai Emery was happy to see Paris Saint-Germain escape with a point against Saint-Etienne after describing their first half as the worst of the season .

The Ligue 1 leaders snatched a 1-1 draw at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard courtesy of an own goal from Mathieu Debuchy in second-half stoppage time.

Emery made seven changes to the team that beat Monaco in the Coupe de la Ligue final and watched his side produce a miserable first-half display, in which Remy Cabella put Saint-Etienne ahead and missed a penalty.

Presnel Kimpembe was sent off four minutes ahead of the break but PSG improved in the second half, although Edinson Cavani missed an open goal before they were eventually saved by Debuchy s misfortune.

Emery was pleased with the response shown after the in…

La Gazzetta dello Sport has learned that AS Roma are keeping close tabs on Saint Etienne defender Florentin Pogba.

The Giallorossi attempted to sign the 24-year-old footballer this summer, but ultimately turned to Newcastle s Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa.

Nevertheless, they remain keen on the older brother of Juventus star Paul Pogba, and are expected to launch a new assault on January.

Florentin Pogba is a left-footed centre-back who can also be deployed on the left flank and he has another two years left on his deal at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.

He joined les Verts from Sedan in the summer of 2012, but was loaned back to the club before returning to Saint Etienne last summer.

After making four substitute appearances in the league last season, Pogba has star…

Chelsea F.C. right-back Wallace Oliveira dos Santos, commonly known as Wallace, is reportedly attracting interest from a host of European clubs, including Inter Milan and Roma, .

Wallace, 19, made his senior debut for Fluminense at the age of 17. Since 2011, the Brazil Under-20 international has made 21 first-team appearances in the Brasileirão for Flu.

The 19-year-old defender, who agreed a deal with Chelsea in December, has joined the Blues for pre-season training amid reports that a number of Serie A clubs are interested in signing the player on loan for the 2013/14 season.

Wallace s agent Frederico Moraes has yet to rule out a move, while confirming reported interest from Italian giants Inter Milan and A.S. Roma.

There has been a lot of…

Premier League side Blackburn Rovers have signed Chelsea striker Franco Di Santo on loan for the first half of the season.

And Rovers boss Sam Allardyce, who is trying to strengthen his attacking options following the departure of Roque Santa Cruz to Manchester City, has signed the 20-year-old Di Santo, giving him an another option.

The Argentinian, who has made a minimal impact on the first team at Stamford Bridge, started his club career with his local side Godoy Cruz in 2005, before moving to Chilean team Audax Italiano in 2008.

After scoring 16 and 19 goals in the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons respectively, he was signed by Chelsea.

However, the player will stay with Blackburn until January under the terms of the deal completed today with Rovers then h…

Galatasaray chairman Unal Aysal says the club have made alternative plans in the event Wesley Sneijder chooses a move to Liverpool.

The Merseyside club have made the Dutchman aware of their interest in him, with the playmaker extremely keen on a move to the Premier League after a switch to Manchester United failed in 2010.

Sneijder has fallen out of favour at Inter Milan, with the Italian club desperately trying to shift his wages off their books, while Liverpool have cleared the hefty salaries of Joe Cole and Nuri Sahin so far in January.

We offered Sniejder less than 5.5 million euros and we have an agreement with Inter for 7.5 million for Sneijder, Aysal told reporters.

Now we are waiting for player s decision. I never said we agreed with Sneijder 9…

Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal is on the same level as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, according to former Colombia international Giovanni Hernandez.

Vidal won four Serie A titles with Juventus before leaving for Bayern in 2015, where he won the domestic double in Pep Guardiola s final season in charge.

The 29-year-old has also enjoyed stunning success with Chile, claiming the Copa America titles in 2015 and 2016, and he earned a place on the shortlist for France Football s Ballon d Or prize that was announced last month.

And Hernandez, who played alongside Vidal for Colo-Colo before the latter joined Bayer Leverkusen in 2007, says the combative midfielder is undoubtedly one of the world s finest.

Vidal is on the level of Cristiano Ronaldo and…