Christophe Jallet - Nice (free transfer)
[article]Nice completed the signing of defender Christophe Jallet
from Lyon on a free transfer on Tuesday night.
Lyon released the 33-year-old right-back from the final year of his contract, and he now moves to
his fifth club in France.
After
coming up with Niort, Jallet
maved to Lorient in 2006 before
starring for Paris-Saint German for five seasons.
He
spent the last three seasons with Lyon and has been a member of the Didier Deschamps' France squad, both at Euro 2016 and for a World Cup qualifier in March.
Jallet becomes the
fourth signing of the summer for Nice after the additions of Jean-Victor Makengo, Adrien Tameze and Pierre Lees-Melou.[/article]
Pedro Mendes - Montpellier (£2.5 million)
Giovanni Sio - Montpellier (£4.5 million)
[article]Montpellier on Tuesday contracted
Portuguese defender Pedro Mendes and
Ivorian striker Giovanni Sio,
both from their fellow French football club Stade Rennais F.C.
The Ligue 1 club is seeking to reinforce its squad preparing for the new season, after finishing the last campaign 15th with 39 points, 56 points adrift from champions Monaco, reports Efe.
The president of Montpellier Laurent Nicollin said in a statement that he is happy to sign Pedro Mendes, the former Parma and Sassuolo defender.
Nicollin also said that the club wanted to contract Ivorian international Sio two seasons ago, but they could not at that time.
Sio, 28, was in the starting line-up for Stade Rennais 38 times, and scored nine goals last season.[/article]
Ryan Fulton - Hamilton (undisclosed fee)
[article]The club are delighted to have reached an agreement with Liverpool on the transfer of
Scotland u21 goalkeeper Ryan Fulton. The player, who has
previously been on loan at Portsmouth and Chesterfield, has agreed a
two year deal with ourselves. We extend our thanks to Liverpool FC for their co-operation with this move.
The player, who was
born in Burnley, has a Scottish father, and has
played for Scotland at u16 through u21 levels.[/article]
Andrea Bertolacci - Genoa (loan)
[article]
Andrea Bertolacci has officially joined Genoa on loan from Milan, a return to his
former club.
“Genoa Cricket and Football Club announce that we have formalised the temporary signing of
midfielder Andrea Bertolacci,” read a statement.
“For the player who has
five senior Italy caps, it is a return to the oldest club in Italy, with whom he had put together 88 league appearances, scoring 12 goals, during three seasons.”
The
26-year-old had been in a co-ownership deal with Roma, the club where he started his career, until the Giallorossi bought out the other half of his contract in 2015.
Bertolacci was then
sold to Milan for €20m, but
struggled to make an impact at San Siro due to injuries and poor form.
[/article]
Gianluca Lapadula - Genoa (loan for €2 million with obligation to buy at €11 million)
[article]Genoa have officially confirmed the signing of Gianluca Lapadula
from Milan, on loan with obligation to buy.
The 27-year-old joined the Rossoneri from Pescara last summer, scoring eight goals and providing three assists despite just 15 starts.
However, this summer’s spending spree meant there was no room for the Italian, and he had a medical with the Grifone over the weekend.
The move was initially postponed due to a problem flagged-up by the tests, but it was reported last night that the deal was done.
“Genoa Cricket and Football Club announces that it has defined a deal with AC Milan for the temporary acquisition, with the obligation for an outright signing, of the striker Gianluca Lapadula,” Genoa confirmed on their official website.
No figures have been released for the deal, but it’s expected to be a €2m loan with €11m obligation.[/article]
Lucas Leiva - Lazio (reportedly€5.5 million)
[article]Liverpool have confirmed that midfielder Lucas Leiva has joined Lazio for a reported €5.5m.
Lucas passed a medical with Lazio on Tuesday, bringing the end to his
10-year Liverpool career, which spawned 346 appearances.
“Liverpool as a club and Liverpool as a city is a unique place. I think it’s different from everywhere,” he told the Reds’ official website.
“The fans are a big part of the club, probably the most important part of the club, and without them Liverpool wouldn’t be the same club I would say.
“Thank you for all the support, especially in difficult times, that’s when it means a lot. We all know that Liverpool fans are really special and they were always here for me.
“I’ll always be watching and supporting Liverpool and for sure I’ll be back, in the city to visit friends and watch games in the future.”
The club added: “Everyone at Liverpool FC thanks Lucas for his immense contribution to the club and wishes him and his family all the best for the future.”
The 30-year-old will replace namesake Lucas Biglia, who moved to Milan last week, as the Aquile’s deep-lying playmaker.
However,
details of his Lazio contract have yet to be disclosed.[/article]
Joe Hart - West Ham (loan)
[article]West Ham United are delighted to confirm the signing of England’s No1 goalkeeper Joe Hart.
Capped 71 times by his country,
two-time Premier League champion Hart joins the Hammers on a season-long loan
from Manchester City.
Hart cannot wait to pull on a West Ham United jersey and put on a show for the Claret and Blue Army.
“It's important for me to play football and to get the opportunity to come here and play is absolutely awesome,” he told West Ham TV. “To be playing in the Premier League for a big club like West Ham, I'm really looking forward to the season.
"I've always loved the Club. I think you'll struggle to find anyone, apart from the direct opposing fans around London, who doesn't love the Club. It's got something about it, it's got a lot history and I've always loved playing against West Ham.
"We've moved into London Stadium and we've got Slaven in charge who I've spoken to and I've always enjoyed as a manager. He obviously did a good job with Croatia and he's doing a good job here, so to get the opportunity to come here, it wasn't really a hard decision."
Hart is relishing the opportunity to return to the Premier League with the Hammers after a season on loan with Italian Serie A side Torino.
"It was a fun year and I did enjoy being part of Serie A and part of Torino, but I'm ready to come back and looking forward to being part of this fantastic league again,” said Hart, who has
won the Premier League's Golden Glove on four occasions.
Hart could face his parent club, with whom he was twice voted into the PFA Premier League Team of the Year, in a pre-season match in Iceland on 4 August, before kicking-off his Premier League career with West Ham in a mouth-watering fixture at Manchester United nine days later.
“I'd like to think I've obviously left Manchester City on loan this season, but the club as a whole, especially the supporters, have always been fantastic to me,” said Hart. "I'd never change how I feel about that club, as it'll always be a very special club to me.
“It'll be fun to play against them because I'll be banned when it comes to the actual season, while I'm sure Manchester United will welcome me with open arms if I get the nod and start the season away at Old Trafford.”
An outstanding goalkeeper, the
30-year-old has been at the top of the game for more than a decade and recognised as
England’s first-choice stopper since 2010.
Born in Shropshire, Hart
impressed as a teenager for Shrewsbury Town before Manchester City swooped to sign him in summer 2006.
Since then, the popular gloveman has gone from strength to strength,
making more than 300 Premier League appearances and playing starring roles as the Citizens won the Premier League title in 2012 and 2014 and FA Cup in 2011.
After excelling England at U21 level, where he played regularly alongside Mark Noble, it was no surprise when Fabio Capello handed the prodigious Hart a senior Three Lions debut against Trinidad and Tobago in June 2008, just two months past his 21st birthday.
Since then, Hart has travelled to all four major tournaments with England and will spend the upcoming season with the Hammers in anticipation of a fifth, the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals.
Everyone at West Ham United would like to welcome Joe to London Stadium and wish him every success in his career in Claret and Blue. [/article]