Former Manchester United striker Michael Owen has joined Stoke City on a one-year contract, the Premier League club announced yesterday.
Owen was a free agent after being released by United at the end of last season, and British media reported the 32-year-old had signed a pay-as-you-play deal at the Potters.
The former England international played only four times for United last season as he suffered from ongoing injury problems. In total, he scored 17 times in 52 games for the Old Trafford club after joining them in 2009.
His last appearance in the Premier League was on Sept. 24 last year, when he came on as a substitute against Stoke in a 1-1 draw at the Britannia Stadium.
Connor shown the Wolves backdoor
Wolves have terminated the contract of assistant manager Terry Connor with immediate effect.
Connor, who took over from Mick McCarthy as boss for a short stint during the second half of the 2011/12 season, had been at Molineux for 13 years.
During his time as manager, Connor took charge of 13 games and failed to win a single match, picking up just four points from a possible 39.
Wolves finished bottom of the table with just 25 points, a fact which led to Connor being rep-laced by current manager Stale Solbakken back in May.
Ivan Klasnic is the Mainz man
Mainz have given Ivan Klasnic a route back into the Bundesliga by signing the former Werder Bremen striker on a one-year contract.
The Croatian, who was released by Bolton in the summer, signed the deal after successfully passing a medical on Monday, although he was not Mainz’s first-choice striker target.
“He was always our plan B,” said club general manager Christian Heidel.
“After the transfer of Adrian Ramos failed to materialise, we wanted to get this one wrapped up as quickly as possible.”
Diarra seals move to wealthy Anzhi
France midfielder Lassana Diarra has completed his move to Anzhi Makhachkala from Real Madrid, the wealthy Russian Premier League club said.
Anzhi did not give any details about the length of Diarra’s contract or the transfer fee as the Russian summer transfer window closes next Monday.
The defensive midfielder joined Real from Portsmouth in 2008 but failed to become a regular starter at the Bernabeu.
Diarra, 27, joins a host of well-known internationals at the big-spending club from the volatile North Caucasus region, including striker Samuel Eto’o.
Deschamps hints at Lloris disquiet
France manager Didier Deschamps has indicated that goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is unhappy with comments made by new club boss Andre Villas-Boas on Monday.
Lloris left Lyon for Tottenham on Friday with the clear intention of taking the no.1 shirt from Brad Friedel who responded by producing one of the performances of his career against Norwich on Saturday, prompting Villas-Boas to say that Lloris would have a fight on his hands to win a starting spot.
Deschamps said: “Hugo has not appreciated the statements of his coach. I am not going to create a problem but I do not want Hugo to find himself in this situation.”
Liverpool’s Jones gets Aussie call
Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Jones was yesterday called up to the Australia squad for the first time since the 2011 Asian Cup finals and the death of his young son Luca from leukaemia.
Jones was drafted in for tomorrow’s friendly against Lebanon in Beirut and their World Cup qualifier against Jordan five days later, replacing Reading keeper Adam Federici, who is injured.
The Liverpool player is currently Pepe Reina’s understudy at Anfield. Tomorrow, first-choice goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer is poised to become the first Australian to win 100 caps.
Fenerbahce sign Raul Meireles
Fenerbahce have signed midfielder Raul Meireles from Chelsea.
Turkish media reports said Meireles signed a four-year contract late Monday.
Fenerbahce earlier said they had started negotiations to buy him in a statement to the Istanbul Stock Exchange. The 29-year-old, who has played more than 60 times for Portugal, was signed by Chelsea on a four-year contract from Liverpool in 2011.
The Istanbul club, runners-up to Galatasaray last season, have been looking to bolster their midfield after Emre Belozoglu left for Atletico Madrid on a free transfer earlier this year. Turkey’s transfer window closes today.