Sporting Briefs...

Banega: Boca Juniors have agreed to sell Argentina U-21 midfielder Ever Banega to Valencia for $26m. "The good thing about this deal is it was done club to club with no middlemen," club director Jose Beraldi said. "There are just some contract details to settle before the player travels to Spain." Banega, 19, made his debut in February.

Mali Squad: Mali have called up three locally-based players in their final 23-man squad for this month's African Nations Cup finals. Goalkeeper Soumbeyla Diakite from Stade Malien and the Djoliba pair of Souleymane Dembele and Amadou Sidibe were added by coach Jean Francois Jodar after failing to make a preliminary list of 28 last month. All three have previously been capped by Mali at full international level. The squad is dominated by the Spanish-based trio of Frederic Kanoute, Seydou Keita and Real Madrid's Mahamadou Diarra. Sevilla striker Kanoute is one of the five candidates for the African Footballer of the Year award, to be announced on February 1.

Visa Issue: Egypt captain Ahmed Hassan will leave Belgian champions Anderlecht in this month's transfer window if his family are not granted a visa to live in the country. "If the visas don't come I can no longer play for Anderlecht," Hassan told Belgian media. The 32-year-old midfielder is due to play for Egypt in this month's African Nations Cup.

Ono: Asian champions Urawa Reds are poised to sell Shinji Ono for a second time, with fellow Japan international Naohiro Takahara a likely replacement. Ono, increasingly on the fringes of the Urawa team following a string of injuries, was scheduled to leave Japan for Germany yesterday after an offer from Bundesliga side Bochum. Takahara's arrival at Japan's best-supported club looks imminent after a frustrating spell with Eintracht Frankfurt. Eintracht and Urawa officials have agreed a fee of around $1.7 million to sign Japan's top striker.

Almeria: Almeria have signed 19-year-old Brazilian left-back Guilherme on a six-year contract from Vasco de Gama, the Primera Liga side said. "The club has signed one of the pearls of Brazilian football," the club said in a statement.

Abreu: Uruguay forward Sebastian Abreu has joined Argentina's River Plate from Mexican club Tigres UANL, said River director Mario Israel in a radio interview. Abreu, a free agent, has scored 19 goals in 36 international appearances.

Everton: Everton made their first move in the transfer window by agreeing to sign teenage defender Dan Gosling from Championship (second division) side Plymouth Argyle. The 17-year-old, who has made 24 appearances for Plymouth, can play at right-back or in midfield. "He is one for the future," manager David Moyes said.