Confirmed Transfers (2015/16)

[King Binny]

Marco Giampaolo - Empoli (Head Coach)

[article]Empoli have officially appointed Marco Giampaolo as their new coach, replacing Maurizio Sarri.

The Azzurri were forced into a pre-season coaching search after Sarri resigned from his post to join Napoli, but after a short wait a successor has now been unveiled.

“Empoli FC announces that it has entrusted the coaching role of the first team to Marco Giampaolo,” an official club statement confirmed.

“The coach has signed a contract that will tie him to Empoli until 30 June 2016.

“The presentation to the press will take place tomorrow, Tuesday 16 June at 11:00 in the press room of the Stadio Carlo Castellani.”

47-year-old Giampaolo has previous coaching experience with Cagliari, Catania, Cesena, Siena and Ascoli, and was most recently employed at Brescia, where he was dismissed due to a regretful incident.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Rafael van der Vaart - Betis (free transfer)

[article]Netherlands international Rafael van der Vaart has signed a three-year deal with Real Betis, the newly promoted Spanish club announced on Monday night.

Van der Vaart spent the past three seasons in a second stint at Hamburg, who last month barely escaped relegation after a playoff for the second straight season.

The move comes on the same day he was voted as the biggest disappointment of the Bundesliga season by his fellow professionals.

The 32-year-old has 109 caps for Netherlands, appearing in two World Cups and three European championships.

Real Betis will return to the top flight next season after winning the title in the Segunda Division.

Real Betis will present their first signing of the summer on Tuesday. It will be a home coming of sorts, as the club said the family of Van der Vaart's mother is from a town 120 kilometres south of Sevilla.

"I am very happy to come here," Van der Vaart told the club's official website. "It's a great club and I really want to start. For me it is a dream because my family lives in Chiclana, very close, and I like playing in Spanish football. "

Van der Vaart previously played in Spain for Real Madrid from 2008-2010.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Chris Woods - West Ham (Goalkeeping Coach)

[article=http://www.whufc.com/News/Articles/2015/June/15-June/Hammers-appoint-Woods-as-goalkeeping-coach#OArH0bWk07CfHKcq.99]West Ham United have appointed former England international Chris Woods as the Club’s new goalkeeping coach.

The 55-year-old, who won 43 caps for his country between 1985-1993, has extensive experience of coaching in the Barclays Premier League, having worked at Everton and Manchester United over the last two decades.

He will become part of new manager Slaven Bilic’s backroom team as the Hammers prepare for the 2015/16 campaign.

Woods said: “I am thrilled to be joining West Ham United. It is a Club with a great history and tradition.

“I've known Slaven from my time at Everton and we go back a long way even though we have gone on our different paths since he left Goodison Park.

“It will be great for me to get back working alongside him and I am pleased to be given the opportunity.

“Slaven has his own ideas and puts his own stamp on the team that he manages.

“It is certainly an exciting time for me to be coming to West Ham and I am looking forward to working with the goalkeepers.

“I saw Adrian in action last season and I will be hoping to bring something to his game and the other keepers at the Club.

“It is brilliant for the Club to be back in Europe and you want to be playing in the top competitions.”

Woods still has fond memories of his playing days and used to relish playing in the East End of London.

Woods added: “I used to enjoy playing at the Boleyn Ground – especially in a night game under the lights.

“It has been amazing to see the stadium grow as it has done now and the atmosphere is still second to none.”

Woods enjoyed a long and successful playing career, forming part of the Nottingham Forest squad which won the European Cup in 1979 before going on to earn four Scottish Premier Division medals with Rangers and play a part in a League Cup triumph at Norwich City.

He also turned out for Queens Park Rangers and Sheffield Wednesday on the way to making over 700 senior appearances, while he also travelled to four major tournaments with England.

The Lincolnshire-born stopper then moved into coaching, first taking up a role under Walter Smith at Everton in 1998.

He would go on to enjoy a long association with David Moyes, acting as his goalkeeping coach throughout the Scot's tenure at Goodison Park before moving with him to Manchester United in 2013.

Alongside his club work, Woods also served as goalkeeping coach to the United States national team.

West Ham United can confirm that four members of the first-team backroom staff have left the Club.

West Ham United would like to thank assistant manager Neil McDonald, first-team coach Ian Hendon, goalkeeper coach Bobby Mimms and head of recruitment Martyn Glover for their hard work and commitment during their time at the Club and wish them well for their future careers.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Martyn Glover - Leeds United (Head of Recruitment)
[article]LEEDS UNITED have officially confirmed Martyn Glover as the club’s new head of recruitment, as expected, with the vastly-experienced operator being the latest backroom appointment at Elland Road.

His arrival follows on from the addition of Stuart Hayton as the new club secretary of United, with Hayton having worked in previous roles at Liverpool and Wigan Athletic.

A club statement on the appoint of Glover read: “We would like to welcome Martyn Glover to Leeds United as the club’s new head of recruitment.

“Martyn, who arrives from West Ham United, will work closely with head coach Uwe Rosler and will be responsible for all aspects of the club’s scouting and recruitment.

“Martyn boasts a wealth of experience and expertise in his role, having spent four years at Upton Park and 13 years with Blackburn Rovers prior to that.”

Martyn Glover has revealed his delight at linking up with the club - admitting that the move came ‘out of the blue.’

Glover, former head of recruitment at West Ham, has made an immediate return to football at Elland Road after leaving an identical role at Upton Park, where he successfully worked with ex-Hammers boss Sam Allardyce.

Bury-born Glover studied physical education at the former Leeds Carnegie University and worked as a PE teacher for eight years before taking on a full-post academy post with Blackburn Rovers.

Glover worked in a variety of roles at Ewood Park for over a decade, holding a number of positions in recruitment and development with the academy and at the club’s senior training centre.

Latterly in his time at Rovers, he was promoted to head of player recruitment under Allardyce before linking up with him at West Ham in 2011.

On his move to Leeds, Glover told the YEP: “It is nice to get things sanctioned one and for all and I can finally actually start to get on with the job.

“Obviously, things were coming to an end at West Ham and it was about trying to get something sorted and establish where I might be next.

“It came out of the blue (at Leeds) to some extent and it’s a nice opportunity and I am delighted.

“I knew of (executive director) Adam Pearson, without particularly knowing him.

“But I worked with (assistant head coach) Rob Kelly at the academy at Blackburn for four years and we have history together - all good I must add!.

“I didn’t know Uwe (Rosler) at all before coming here and that’s new to me.

“But things have been good and in the short time we’ve been together, we have got on well.

“I think the idea is that we will work on things together in terms of potential targets.

“Obviously, Uwe will have his say as it is his team and he is the one who will pick the side at the end of the day.”

Leeds moved for Glover after ending their interest in ex-Reading head of recruitment and former Norwich City Steve Head.

Head was poised to take over as the club’s recruitment chief, only for club owner Massimo Cellino to withdraw his offer over Head’s plans to depart on an immediate holiday.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Kévin Théophile-Catherine joins St Étienne (reportedly £1.4 million)

[article]Cardiff City defender Kévin Théophile-Catherine has joined St Étienne on a permanent basis after the French club activated his buy-out clause.

The Ligue One outfit, who struck a deal to take the Frenchman on loan from the Bluebirds last season, have taken up the Welsh capital club on the option of buying the defender.

Théophile-Catherine has signed a deal until 2018.

A regular for Cardiff City in the Premier League, Théophile-Catherine headed to France after becoming disillusioned when he was left out of the side's first two Championship matches by then boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

He went on to make 30 appearances for St Étienne last season, 29 as a starter, as he became a regular in the side.

He was an important part of the team as they just missed out on qualification for next season's Champions League but is unwanted by Bluebirds boss Russell Slade.

Reports in the French media say St Étienne have paid in the region of £1.4m to sign the defender.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Sven Ulreich - Bayern Munich (€3.5 million)

[article]Bayern Munich have signed goalkeeper Sven Ulreich on a three-year deal from Stuttgart, the German champions have confirmed.

Ulreich is likely to take over the number two role at the German champions behind Manuel Neuer with former Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina expect to depart the club during the close season.

Ulreich made 28 Bundesliga appearances for Stuttgart last season.

"I have searched for many years in Stuttgart for a new challenge," said Ulreich on the club's official website.

"Since I am here at Bayern I'm in exactly the right place.

"I'm looking forward to the whole team and all the new things that will happen to me. I want to do my part to success and will always be there when I'm needed."

"We are very pleased that we were able to sign an experienced Bundesliga goalkeeper in Sven Ulreich," said Jan-Christian Dreesen, the deputy chairman of the club. .

"Sven Ulreich fits not only athletic, but also in character perfectly to Bayern. We are happy that he has chosen us,[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Sinisa Mihajlovic - AC Milan (Head Coach)

(centre)
[article=http://www.acmilan.com/en/news/show/157691]After spells in charge of Bologna, Catania, Fiorentina, the Serbian national team and his last experience at Sampdoria, Sinisa Mihajlovic is officially the new coach of the rossoneri.

The 46 year-old from Vukovar arrives with 156 matches as a coach in Serie A and 11 in the Italian Cup behind him, and not to mention 9 World Cup qualifiers in charge of Serbia.

As a player, Mihajlovic was a team-mate to ex-Milan great Dejan Savicevic during their days together at Red Star Belgrade before arriving in Italy and Serie A where he would enjoy the most success in terms of titles and trophies at capital club Lazio.

Mihajlovic was renowned for his work-rate, commitment and also as a dead-ball specialist during his playing career and is good friends with Milan legends Andriy Shevchenko, Filippo Inzaghi and Clarence Seedorf.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

James Beattie - Swansea (First Team Coach)

[article=http://www.swanseacity.net/news/article/james-beattie-joins-swans-coaching-staff-2493199.aspx#0FewUd8Ol5FDZoOv.99]Swansea City have appointed former England striker James Beattie as a first-team coach.

The 37-year-old, who is an ex-team-mate of Swans boss Garry Monk while at Southampton, will work alongside Kristian O'Leary and Alan Curtis and will be responsible for coaching the club's first-team forwards.

Beattie spent a week with the Swans earlier in the season as he observed training sessions at Fairwood in preparation for a forthcoming game.

He already has coaching experience following a player/coach stint with Accrington Stanley, before going on to take the manager’s job with the League Two club.

“James will come in as a first-team coach alongside Kristian O’Leary and Alan Curtis, but will be given specific responsibility to work on a technical level with our attacking players," said Monk.

“I’ve known James for a long time. He is intelligent, has a great knowledge of the game from his experiences as a player, coach and manager; plus he thinks about the game in the same way as myself.

“He has some bright ideas and, despite already having a fantastic knowledge of the game, he is still looking to learn at every opportunity.

“I’m constantly trying to create and improve all areas of the first team environment with young, talented and up-and-coming staff. That’s not just the playing squad, but the backroom staff as well.

“James fits that criteria perfectly and with the experience he’s gained over the years, I’m sure the players will benefit greatly by tapping into his knowledge."

Beattie's playing career spanned nearly two decades with the former striker representing eight different clubs and winning five caps for England.
He made his professional debut for hometown club Blackburn Rovers in 1996 before moving to Southampton two years later, where he became a fan-favourite on the south coast.

Beattie spent seven years with the Saints, making 233 appearances and scoring 76 goals - including a fruitful 2002-03 campaign in which he was the Premier League's highest English goalscorer.

It was during this time that he won the first of his five England caps, making his international debut in a friendly against Australia in February 2003.
He completed a £6million switch to Everton in 2005 but after struggling to nail down a place in the starting line-up the striker moved to Sheffield United where he scored 34 goals in 62 games.

Beattie returned to the Premier League with Stoke in 2009 before moves to Rangers, Blackpool (loan) and a return to Sheffield United.

However, the striker ended his playing days at League Two side Accrington Stanley in a player-coach capacity and was given the manager's job on a full-time basis in May 2013 following the departure of Leam Richardson.

Stanley finished 15th in Beattie's first full season in charge, but he departed the Lancashire club just six games into the 2014-15 season with the club sitting 21st in League Two. [/article]

 

[Leo]

Ah Mihajlovic.
That's a blast from the past.
What a player.

 

[C/O]

I fucking hate James Beattie.

And I have no idea why. Always have, even pre Everton.

 

[ILD]

James Beattie is the head off your man Rickie from the Kaiser Chumps.

 

[King Binny]

Juanmi - Southampton (reportedly £5 million)

[article=http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/20160616-juanmi-announcement-2495920.aspx]Southampton Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Spanish international forward Juanmi.

The 22 year-old becomes Saints’ first recruit ahead of the 2015/16 campaign, joining from La Liga side Málaga.

Juanmi – whose full name is Juan Miguel Jiménez López – has penned a four-year contract and will link up with his new teammates when they begin pre-season training on Monday 29th June.

Executive Director of Football Les Reed commented: “Juanmi is a young, exciting and attacking player who fits into the club’s strategic plan perfectly.

“He has been tracked closely by our recruitment department for some time, and we were keen to act quickly when presented with the opportunity to bring this young player with international quality to Southampton.

“To have attracted a player of his potential at this early stage of the summer is testament to our determination to build upon the achievements of the 2014/15 season and to continue to implement our long-term plan for the future.

“We will fully embrace the challenge of the Europa League in the coming campaign, and want to develop further in Europe over the seasons to follow. Juanmi’s arrival is an important step in this process.”

Juanmi added: “It’s a pleasure to be here and I am looking forward to being a part of this club.

“I am anxious and I want to start as soon as possible. This is a big club and it has shown a lot of trust in me.

“The training ground is magnificent and likewise the stadium. It really, really is a big club.

“Since I was very young, it’s always been a dream for me to play in the Premier League. The style of football played here is similar to the way I play, so it’s a dream come true.

“Now I just want to start playing and to start scoring goals.”[/article]

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Juanmi - Southampton (reportedly £5 million)

Wow. 5m feels like a steal there.

 

[King Binny]

Wow. 5m feels like a steal there.

Yeah, was thinking the same. Southampton activated his release clause. Spanish international (albeit a recently capped one) at £5 million vs. Luis Alberto for £6.8 million...

 

[King Binny]

Joselu - Stoke (€8 million)

[article=http://www.stokecityfc.com/news/article/potters-land-joselu-2495807.aspx#wK1hi6W6aK4qZRsi.99]STOKE CITY are delighted to announce the signing of striker Joselu from German club Hannover 96 for a fee of €8million.

The ex-Spanish Under-21 international becomes the Club’s third signing of the summer following the captures of defender Philipp Wollscheid and goalkeeper Jakob Haugaard.

Joselu, who lists Real Madrid among his former clubs, scored eight goals in 30 appearances for Hannover last season – his first with the Bundesliga outfit.

Chief Executive Tony Scholes said: “Joselu was one of our key summer targets and so I am delighted that we have been able to complete this deal.

“Despite offers from leading European clubs Joselu has decided to join Stoke City to fulfil his ambitions.”

Manager Mark Hughes added: “Joselu has an excellent pedigree and is a player we have been tracking for some time.

“He has skills and attributes that are different to what we already have within the squad but will complement the attacking players we already have at our disposal.

“Joselu is excited about testing himself in the Premier League and we’re delighted to have him with us.”

Joselu launched his professional career in Spain with Celta Vigo but in 2009 he was bought by Real Madrid, only to be loaned back to his former club for the remainder of that season.

He topped the scoring chart’s for Real’s reserve team in 2010/11 and was promoted to the first team in May 2011 as he made his La Liga debut as a substitute against UD Almeria. He wasted little time in making an impact as he scored almost immediately after his introduction to make it 8-1 to Real.

He did likewise in a Copa del Rey appearance against SD Ponferradina before moving to Germany in August 2012 by joining Hoffenheim for an undiclosed fee.

Joselu spent a season on loan with Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring 14 goals in the process, before moving to Hanover last summer.

Ironically, he checked-in at Hannover shortly after Mame Diouf had left the German club to move to the Britannia Stadium. A year later the pair are to become Potters teammates.

He also becomes the third Spaniard in the Potters’ first team squad alongside Marc Muniesa and Bojan.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Pavel Kaderabek - Hoffenheim (undisclosed fee)

(left))
[article]Czech Republic defender Pavel Kaderabek has moved from Sparta Prague to Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga.

Kaderabek, 23, has signed a contract with Hoffenheim which runs until the end of the 2018-19 season, and moves for an undisclosed fee.

The right-back has won eight caps for the Czech Republic, scoring once.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Simon Kjaer - Fenerbahce (€7.65 million)

[article]Fenerbahce have announced the signing of Danish centre-back Simon Kjaer from Lille.

Kjaer, 26, had been linked with moves to Liverpool and Arsenal in the past, but has chosen to continue his career in Turkey.

The defender has signed a four-year deal with Fenerbahce, who lost out on the Turkish title to Galatasaray last season by three points.

A statement on the club website read: "We would like to welcome Simon Kjaer in Fenerbahce and wish him a great season with a full of success."[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Josip Drmic - Borussia Monchengladbach (reportedly €7 million)

[article=http://www.borussia.de/english/season/news/borussia-news/news-detailansicht.html?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=14072&cHash=8e31748d1304dcaf6aae9351a099068b]Borussia Mönchengladbach have completed the signing of Josip Drmic from Bayer 04 Leverkusen. The 22-year-old striker has agreed a contract until June 30th 2019.

Drmic has made a total of 58 Bundesliga appearances for 1. FC Nürnberg and Bayer Leverkusen over the last two seasons, scoring 23 goals. He has also won 18 caps for the Switzerland national team, finding the net four times. “We were interested in signing Josip Drmic last year but on that occasion he chose to join Leverkusen. We’re delighted that everything has come together now. Josip is a quick and dangerous attacker and is going to fit in well,” said Borussia sporting director Max Eberl.

Drmic began his career close to his birthplace of Bäch (Switzerland) at FC Freienbach, before moving onto to FC Rapperwil-Jona. In 2001 he joined FC Zürich. The striker, who is of Croatian descent, was initially a member of their academy and made his professional debut on February 6th 2010, coming on in the 87th minute of the league encounter with Neuchâtel Xamax. He made three further appearances from the bench that season. The following season saw Drmic make seven appearances in the Swiss Super League for Zürich. In the 2011/12 campaign, Drmic became a regular for FCZ and bagged his first competitive goal. The technically-skilled striker netted eight goals in 28 appearances in all competitions during that campaign. He also gained his first experiences on the international stage by featuring in the UEFA Europa League and was part of the Switzerland U23 side which competed in the 2012 London Olympics. They were eliminated in the first round.

He impressed throughout the 2012/13 season, in which he scored 13 goals and provided six assists in 31 Super League appearances. Additionally he scored four goals in four cup appearances. His consistent performances earned him an international call-up, for whom he made his senior debut for on September 11th 2012 in a World Cup qualifier with Albania. He was brought on in injury time for his future team mate at Gladbach Granit Xhaka.

In the summer of 2013, Drmic opted to move abroad, signing for 1. FC Nürnberg. The quick striker needed very little time to adapt and scored an impressive 17 goals in his maiden season but was unable to prevent Nürnberg from relegation. He moved to Bayer Leverkusen after the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Drmic made a total of 38 appearances in all competitions for Bayer 04 and scored six goals, but with most of these appearances coming from the bench, he decided to join the Foals for the 2015/16 campaign.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Micah Richards - Aston Villa (free transfer)

[article=http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~4800877,00.html]Aston Villa Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Micah Richards.

The 26-year-old defender has agreed a four-year deal with the club and will join on a free transfer on July 1.

Richards will arrive at Villa Park following the expiry of his contract with Manchester City after a one-year loan deal in Italy with Fiorentina.

He helped City win the Barclays Premier League and FA Cup and has played in the Champions League.

He has also represented England on 13 occasions to date.

Manager Tim Sherwood said: "I'm really pleased to get Micah on board and I'm sure he will prove to be an excellent signing for the football club."[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Georges-Kévin Nkoudou - Marseille (reportedly €1.5 million)

[article]Marseille has signed France Under-21 midfielder Georges-Kevin Nkoudou from French league rival Nantes

The 20-year-old Nkoudou, who started with Nantes in the top flight two years ago, scored two goals in 28 league matches last season.

Marseille did not give details of the deal, which is reportedly worth 1.5 million euros ($1.7 million).[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Bilal Kisa - Galatasaray (free transfer)

[article]Galatasaray have agreed a deal with Akhisar Belediyespor’s in-form playmaker Bilal Kisa.

The 32-year-old was in Istanbul today and put pen to paper on a two year deal with Galatasaray. The Lions were closely linked with Bilal back in January however, Akhisar refused to sell him.

Bilal will moved to Galatasaray on a free transfer when his contract with Akhisar expires at the end of June.

The Turkish international previously started his career at Fenerbahce but never made a senior appearance for the Yellow Canaries.

Galatasaray’s new manager Hamza Hamzaoglu worked together with Bilal at Akhisar. Bilal has made 11 assists and scored six goal in 35 appearances for Akhisar this season.

Akhisar finished the season in 12th place with 38 points in 34 games.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Danilo Avelar - Torino

[article]Torino have officially signed defender Danilo Avelar from Cagliari for cash and an option on Antonio Barreca.

The move had been in the air for several days and was finally completed this evening.

Toro released a statement confirming they had signed Avelar to a four-year contract.

In exchange, the Granata loaned defender Barreca to Cagliari.

This move includes an option to buy on a permanent basis, but Torino also have a counter-option.

Avelar is a 26-year-old Brazilian left-back who can also play in a more advanced role.

This season he scored four Serie A goals and provided five assists.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Eintracht Frankfurt - Heinz Lindner (free transfer)

[article]Eintracht Frankfurt have completed the signing of goalkeeper Heinz Lindner on a two-year deal from Austria Vienna.

Lindner made 166 league appearances for his hometown club and has also played seven times for Austria.

The 24-year-old has now opted for a new challenge in the Bundesliga and becomes the first signing since Armin Veh returned as Frankfurt head coach on Sunday.

"I want to take the next step in my career," Lindner told Frankfurt's official website.

"I am now full of euphoria and excitement and I want to prove myself in the Bundesliga."[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Nill De Pauw - Guingamp

Guingamp have signed Belgian striker Nill De Pauw on a four-year deal from Lokeren for an undisclosed fee.

OptaJean ‏@OptaJean 3h3 hours ago
10 - Only Vanaken was involved in more goals (11) than @NillDePauw (5 goals, 5 assists) among Lokeren players in the Jupiler 14/15. Newcomer

 

[King Binny]

Cedric Soares - Southampton (£3.5 million)

[article=http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/20150618-cedric-soares-portugal-sporting-announcement-signing-2498917.aspx#QItgofvQ0zcWipTr.99]Southampton Football Club is pleased to confirm that Portugal defender Cédric Soares has become its second summer signing.

Saints have quickly followed on from Tuesday’s deal for Spain international Juanmi to sign Soares on a four-year contract from Sporting CP.

The 23 year-old has recently returned from international duty with Portugal, lining up alongside José Fonte – who, like Soares, began his career with Sporting.

Executive Director of Football Les Reed commented: “Cédric represents a quality addition to our squad, and is another player with a desire and hunger to succeed.

“Like Juanmi, Cédric is a young player with international experience as well as exceptional talent and potential. He joined Sporting’s academy at the age of eight and progressed through to first-team football and international recognition – a pathway previously trodden by a number of our own homegrown stars.

“We have been following Cédric’s progress for some time and felt now was the time to make our move. While there was competition from other Premier League clubs we were confident we would prove to be an attractive option for such an ambitious player.

“We have now signed two exciting talents early in the window and will continue in our pursuit of Premier League success and our European journey.”

Soares added: “I joined this club because I believe we can do better and better every year.

“Everyone knows that the Premier League is a very, very good league – and maybe the best one in the world – so for me it’s a pleasure to be here, but even more of a pleasure to be in Southampton.

”Southampton is a big, big club in England and is very respected. It’s a club with a lot of history and, for me, it’s very important to play for a big club. I think this is a very good move.”[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Ryo Miyaichi - St. Pauli (free transfer)

[article]Ryo Miyaichi has signed for German 2. Bundesliga club FC St. Pauli.

Ryo joined Arsenal in January 2011 and made a total of seven first-team appearances for the club.

The 22-year-old Japanese winger also featured in a number of pre-season games for the Gunners, scoring in a 3-1 victory over Nagoya Grampus in the Asia Tour 2013 in front of a home crowd.

Ryo, who has represented Japan twice at senior level, had loan spells with Feyenoord, Bolton Wanderers, Wigan Athletic and FC Twente while with the Gunners.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Stephane Mbia - Trabzonspor (free transfer)

[article]Cameroon international Stephane Mbia has completed a move to Trabzonspor.

The 29-year-old has penned a three-year deal with the Turkish club, following the expiration of his contract at Sevilla.

He had spent the last two seasons in Spain, helping Los Rojiblancos to consecutive Europa League titles.

Mbia has also played for Queens Park Rangers, Marseille and Rennes during his career.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Gael Kakuta - Sevilla (compensation fee)

[article]Sevilla have agreed a deal with Premier League champions Chelsea to sign out-of-contract winger Gael Kakuta.

The French winger, who spent last season on loan in the Primera Division with Rayo Vallecano, will arrive in Seville on Thursday to undergo a medical with the back-to-back Europa League winners.

A statement published on Sevilla's official website confirmed the 23-year-old's transfer would go through if 'everything goes well' in the Andalusian city.

The former Lens player is out of contract at Chelsea this month although the London outfit will still be due compensation for his transfer owing to Kakuta being under the age of 24.

Kakuta moved to Chelsea as a teenager in 2007 and became a prominent player for the Blues' youth team, graduating to the senior squad after two years in west London.

However, in September 2009, FIFA banned the player for four months and placed Chelsea under a transfer embargo due an alleged breach of contract with former club Lens.

The transfer ban and suspension were successfully appealed against but Kakuta would struggle for first-team action and went on loan to Fulham, Bolton, Dijon, Vitesse and then Lazio.

His sixth loan spell away from Chelsea saw him score four La Liga goals in 23 appearances for Rayo, catching the eye of Sevilla, who have offered the Frenchman a fresh start in southern Spain. [/article]

 

[King Binny]

Lucas Barrios - Palmeiras

[article]Lucas Barrios has announced his departure from Spartak Moscow on his official Facebook site. He will join Brazilian side Palmeiras.[/article]

 

[King Binny]

Dominik Kohr - Augsburg (reportedly €1 million)

[article]Dominik Kohr has signed for FC Augsburg on a permanent deal.The 21-year-old midfielder, who went out on loan from Bayer 04 to FC Augsburg in January 2014, has penned a four-year contract to 30 June 2019.

Kohr started as a youth player at Bayer 04 and he went on to make eight Bundesliga appearances for the Werkself. The Trier-born youngster also played twice for Bayer 04 in the Champions League and in the Europa League.

Dominik Kohr established his credentials as a Bundesliga player at FC Augsburg. He had 26 games last season with the side that finished fifth in the German top flight and he can look forward to European football again in the coming campaign as FCA have qualified for the Europa League.[/article]