JONJO SHELVEY JOINS SWANSEA

Swansea City splashed out five million pounds to prise hard-working midfielder Jonjo Shelvey away from Premier League rivals Liverpool on Wednesday.
The Welsh club said on their website that Shelvey, who spent three years at Liverpool and made 32 appearances under Brendan Rodgers last season, had signed a four-year deal at the Liberty Stadium.
His domestic and European form earned a first England cap as a second-half substitute in a World Cup qualifier against San Marino at Wembley last October.

PAULINHO TO SPURS

Influential Brazil midfielder Paulinho has accepted an offer from Tottenham Hotspur and will join the Premier League club from Corinthians before the start of the season, the player said on Monday.
A powerful box-to-box midfielder, Paulinho, who scored 34 goals in 167 games for Corinthians, shone in Brazil's successful Confederations Cup campaign last month.
"These were three wonderful years of my career, of victories, of working with great people, who always helped me," Paulinho said in a tearful farewell on Monday. "All I have to say to Corinthians is 'I'll be back'."

CHELSE AGREE FEE FOR MARCO VAN GINKEL

Chelsea have agreed a fee with Vitesse Arnhem for midfielder Marco van Ginkel.

Van Ginkel has two years remaining on his contract with the Eredivisie club and will reportedly cost the Blues £8million.
He will sign subject to a medical, agreement of personal terms and legal documentation.
The highly-rated Dutchman won the 'Dutch Talent of the Year' award after impressing in the Eredivisie last season and recently starred for the Netherlands Under-21 squad at the European Championship.

MADRID FAILS TO SIGN BALE

Gareth Bale is set to sign a new deal at Tottenham after Real Madrid admitted DEFEAT in their bid to sign him.
The Spanish giants are understood to have been told by Spurs that they will reject all offers this summer for the Footballer of the Year.
Bale is expected back at the north londoners on Monday for the start of pre-season training.
And chairman Daniel Levy is set to become the toast of Spurs fans after it emerged Real are ready to shelve their interest in the Welshman for 12 months and try again next summer.

BARCA TO SPEND MORE

Barcelona's transfer resources have not been exhausted by the 60 million euros they paid for Brazil forward Neymar, a club spokesman said on Tuesday.
Neymar will line up alongside World Player of the Year Lionel Messi in a formidable forward line for the Spanish champions but they probably need to strengthen a defence that was worryingly porous last season.
"Barca can afford all the transfers the technical staff deem necessary, as has always been the case," Toni Freixa, spokesman for the club's board of directors, told a news conference.

ERC SUPPORTS ASUU STRIKE

The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) has declared its support for last weekend’s decision of the Academic Staff Unions of Universities (ASUU) to go on strike, calling on the government to meet the union’s demands immediately.
A statement today by its National Coordinator, Hassan Taiwo Soweto, said the central issue that has forced the union to embark on the new action is the Federal Government’s continued refusal to fully implement the FGN/ASUU agreement signed in 2009.
Recalling that the ERC was involved in various actions at that time to get the agreement signed, the campaign said it was duty bound to stand with ASUU and university lecturers in the current struggle to get the agreement fully implemented

NEYMAR IS CONFEDERATIONS CUP GOLDEN BALL WINNER

Neymar was named the best player at the Confederations Cup after helping Brazil  win their third consecutive tournament title following Sunday's emphatic 3-0 victory over reigning world and European champions Spain at the Maracana Stadium.
The 21-year-old striker beat new Barcelona team-mate Andres Iniesta to the Golden Ball award, with fellow Brazilian Paulinho finishing in third place in a vote cast by the world media.
Neymar played an instrumental role in Brazil's run to the final, scoring four goals against Japan, Mexico, Italy, and Spain in the showpiece match last night.
There were wild celebrations in the aftermath of the victory, but Neymar offered a word of caution as attention now turns to the 2014 World Cup next year, urging the country's supporters not to get carried away by their latest demolition of Spain.

CHELSEA BATTLE MAN CITY FOR £8m "NEW RONALDO"

Jose Mourinho had asked the Blues to fund a bid for the player, having courted the 18-year-old during his time in charge of Real Madrid. However, Manchester City continue to pursue the teenager, with Sporting Lisbon wanting £8million plus add-ons for the Portugal U20 international. Bruma’s contract expires next summer though, and interested parties are sensing an opportunity to negotiate