A round-up of today's other stories in brief
QPR closing in on a deal for Granero
QPR will today hope to compete a deal which brings Real Madrid midfielder Esteban Granero to Loftus Road.
Rangers yesterday agreed a fee for the midfielder with the Spanish champions.
Acquiring Granero would be a huge coup for the west London club, who have been the busiest of all the Premier League clubs in the summer window.
The 25-year-old has impressed on the few chances he has had at the Bernabeu since moving from Getafe in July 2009.
Goalkeeper Julio Cesar and midfielders Park Ji-sung and Junior Hoilett have already signed for Mark Hughes’ men since the end of last season.
Elsewhere, Jermain Defoe has ended any speculation regarding his future by signing a new three-year deal with Tottenham which takes him up to the end of the 2014-15 season.
Midfielder Nigel De Jong will complete his move from Manchester City to Italian side Inter Milan today. The Dutch international flew to Milan for a medical yesterday after agreeing personal terms.
Republic complete double victory
Republic of Ireland U-17 3 Azerbaijan U-17 2
The Republic of Ireland Under-17s will head to the Uefa qualifiers in Macedonia in four weeks’ time buoyed with two wins from their double-header friendly against Azerbaijan.
At Milebush Park in Castlebar yesterday, Cody Mulhall added to his goal from the first game by firing Ireland ahead after six minutes with a penalty. On 35 minutes, St Kevin’s Boys striker Stephen Confey made it 2-0, firing home from Val Feeney’s pass.
Madatov Mahir pulled a one back from the spot a minute later but Ireland regained their two-goal cushion as Vamavamai Mancur turned the ball into his own net. Mahir netted a consolation for Azerbaijan on the hour.
IRELAND: Doherty (Charlton); Rainey (Bonagee Utd), Baba (Castlebar Celtic), Toner (Aston Villa), Moseley (Birmingham); Toland (Swilly Rovers), Feeney (Athlone Town), Galvin (Ipswich Town); Confey (St Kevin’s Boys), Mulraney (Notts Forest), Mulhall (Stella Maris). Subs: Dempsey (Aston Villa) for Rainey, Stokes (Leeds) for Confey, Cleary (Liverpool) for Baba (all 53 mins); O’Halloran (Fulham) for Mulraney, O’Hanlon (Liverpool) for Galvin (67 mins), Byrne (Man City) for Feeney (71 mins).
Iniesta pips both Messi and Ronaldo to prestigious award
Having been the scourge of several sides during the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine earlier in the summer, Andres Iniesta pipped both Barcelona team mate Lionel Messi and Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo to this year’s Uefa Best Player In Europe Award which was awarded here in Monaco yesterday.
The 28-year-old had a hugely impressive season for Barcelona although the club ultimately ended up missing out on the season’s two biggest prizes, La Liga and the Champions League to Real and Chelsea respectively.
At the European Championships, however, he was absolutely instrumental in Spain’s third straight success at a major international championship, winning three man of the match awards – including the one for the final.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s David Farrelly will start work today as Uefa’s new Head of Communications following a reshuffle in the organisation that involved the departure of both media services boss Robert Faulkner and communications director Alexandre Fourtoy.
– EMMET MALONE
Clubs meet to decide on a future league structure
Airtricity League clubs will meet next Tuesday to decide which of two proposals regarding the future structure of the league to use in future seasons with the possibility that a single division will be introduced in time for the 2014 campaign.
The clubs remain divided on the issue but a document outlining the pros and cons of sticking with the current system of two divisions or changing to a one division league , most likely with fewer than the current 19 teams, will be put before the representatives.
It is likely that the two options will be debated before one is eventually recommended to the meeting of the National League Executive Committee which is scheduled to be held on the following week.
– EMMET MALONE
Jol happy to invest €6.3m to bring Berbatov to Fulham
Fulham appeared to pull off a coup with one day remaining in the transfer window as Dimitar Berbatov moved closer to joining from Manchester United for €6.3 million. Berbatov spent yesterday having a medical at Fulham with Martin Jol also confident of signing Sunderland’s Kieran Richardson.
Berbatov had infuriated Fiorentina on Wednesday by deciding against a move after boarding a plane to seal the deal. He also turned down Juventus.
While his price represents a bargain for a 31-year-old who cost United a record €38.8 million, Berbatov’s €138,000-a-week wage demand will compromise Fulham’s previous pay structure.
Jol said: “For good players you have to pay good money. There were a lot of clubs interested in Dimitar but we were able and capable of getting him. He is finishing his medical and, if everything is good, he will be one of our players.”
Regarding Richardson he added: "A fee has been agreed and I'm confident it will happen before the deadline .
Guardian Service
