Wigan sign up Jones

Wigan have announced the signing of former Wolves midfielder David Jones. Jones, 26, who left Molineux when his contract expired at the end of last season, has signed for the Latics after a successful trial period. He told the club’s official website: “I’m delighted to have sorted out my future. Roberto Martinez is a great manager to work for and I’ve loved every minute of training so far. I already feel settled here. “I’d like to thank everyone at Wolves for their support when I was there and to say goodbye to a great set of fans there. But I’m a Wigan player now and I’m really looking forward to the new season and proving to the gaffer he has made a good choice.” Martinez clearly believes that is the case, telling the website: “Technically he is very gifted, shows good personality on the pitch and already has solid experience of the Barclays Premier League behind him, with the best years of his career still ahead. “Dave has connected well with the group during pre-season, he has shown a great attitude towards work and will certainly bring something different to the squad. “We’ve been impressed with the levels of his work in training and everyone’s excited to be welcoming him to our club.” Jones made 66 Wolves appearances in three seasons, helping them into the top flight and playing a part in their survival there. He had previously played for Derby, signing permanently after playing for the Rams in one of a number of his loan spells away from first club Manchester United. Credit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com

Foster would consider comeback

New West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster will only consider ending his current England exile if an injury to Joe Hart prompts a call from Fabio Capello. Foster, signed on loan from Birmingham, opted to put his international career on temporary hold towards the end of last season after injuries to his back and thumb. The 28-year-old is maintaining that stance even though he is now fully fit, but would consider a comeback if Hart was ruled out. Foster said: “I’m happy with the way things are. I’m enjoying just playing club football. When the international break comes along, I find it’s a good chance to recharge the batteries and try and take your mind off football a bit. “At the moment, I play my club football, I go home and have time with my family. That’s absolutely brilliant. That’s how I operate best as a footballer. But if something does happen to Joe, and the manager gives me a call and says ‘we’re desperate for you to come back in’ then I can consider it. I can always consider it.” Foster added: “Even players who are fully retired from international football can consider coming back. That’s always the case for them as well. If they’re short of numbers for a certain position then they’re always going to get the call. “You’ve seen it with Jamie Carragher and Paul Scholes, people like that. Even if you’re fully retired, you never fully close the door.” Foster insists criticism about his stance with England does not concern him. He said: “I’m fine with that. I’m not someone who’s too much into the media and the celebrity side. I play my football and go home. I don’t watch too much telly either to be honest. I go home and play with my kids. That’s about it. I take no notice of tabloids and newspapers. It’s fine.” Foster sympathises with Birmingham’s plight since being relegated from the Premier League with a host of players leaving. He said: “I think the lads knew that if we got relegated it wasn’t going to be great . “We knew a lot of players would have to leave just to steady the ship. But for it to have gone the way it has, I think the fans are understandably gutted. “You see the players that have gone and the amounts that they’ve gone for as well. But that’s the way it is. Clubs know they’re in trouble and know they need money, so they’re not going to offer stupid money for players straight away.” Credit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com

Montpellier sign Hilton from Marseille

Veteran Brazilian defender Hilton has agreed a one-year deal with Montpellier after leaving Marseille. Hilton, 33, has spent the last seven years in Europe, having started his career in his homeland with Chapecoense. He will replace Emir Spahic in the Montpellier defence, with the Bosnian having moved to Sevilla last month. Hilton, who has made close to 200 appearances in Ligue 1, turned down Evian, Brest and Monaco in favour of Montpellier, and has the option of staying for a further year. Credit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com

Guarani 1-0 Sao Caetano (Serie B)

Portugal 1-0 Cameroon (World Cup U-20)

Vieirinha dismisses Blackburn rumours

PAOK Saloinka winger Vieirinha has played down reports linking him with a move to Blackburn, insisting the first he heard of Rovers’ interest was in the media. Blackburn have been rumoured to be lining a £4 million bid up for Vierinha, with a number of reports on Tuesday suggesting that a bid had alread been put in for the ex-Porto man. But Vierinha, 25, says he is unaware of any contact from Blackburn and claimed to be “tired” of rumours regarding his future surfacing in the press. “I’m learning of the interest of Blackburn from the media,” he told Greece’s Gazetta . “There have, however, been no offers. I am tired of hearing about teams being interested in me through the media.” Vierinha has played for Portugal at every level up to Under-23, though never the senior side, and is believed to have a buy-out clause in excess of £10 million. Credit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com

Warnock hopes to pack a Puncheon

QPR manager Neil Warnock is confident that Southampton winger Jason Puncheon vwill join the club in the coming days. It was revealed last week that the R’s had made a bid for the wantaway Saints man, offering Latvia international defender Kaspars Gorkss as part exchange. Puncheon, 25, spent loan spells with Millwall and Blackpool last season after finding himself pushed to the fringes of the Saints’ side by teenage starlet Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The midfielder returned to the south coast this summer but did not go on the club’s pre-season tour to Switzerland and has not been given a squad number. Warnock now looks set to swoop for Puncheon, and believes he is ideally suited to the Shepherds Bush outfit. “We need a wide player, obviously (former player) Wayne Routledge looks like joining Swansea, and we’ve been looking at Jason Puncheon,” he told London24 . “He’s someone who has done really well, he’s exactly the sort of player I like, he’s pacy and direct, someone with something to prove, a player with a bit of hunger. We need players like that at QPR this season. “He’s a player we’ve been looking at, so now we need to see what happens in the next 10 days or so.” As well as Puncheon, Rangers look set to wrap up a deal for striker DJ Campbell this week after Blackpool accepted a bid thought to be in the region of £1.25 million. Reports also suggest Warnock is also considering a loan move for Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha, and the veteran boss admits he hopes to strengthen his backline before the end of the transfer window. “We’re still looking and we have a couple more targets,” he added. “I’d say we need another defender, not necessarily a wing-back but certainly a defender to make up the numbers.” Meanwhile, Lee Cook and Martin Rowlands look set to leave Loftus Road after the pair were not handed squad numbers for the upcoming Premier League campaign. There have been doubts over the duo’s future this summer after they failed to make a pre-season friendly appearance, as well as the squads that toured Cornwall and Italy. Credit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com

Newcastle place Barton on transfer list

Newcastle United have told Joey Barton he can leave on a free transfer after the midfielder’s scathing assessment of the club’s hierarchy on Twitter . Barton met with club officials on Monday and was told he was being placed on the transfer list after a series of Twitter updates on Sunday that questioned the club’s direction under owner Mike Ashley. The club released a statement that read: “Newcastle United can confirm that Joey Barton has been placed on the transfer list today (Monday). The player has been advised that he can leave the club on a free transfer.” Barton took to Twitter to post his response saying: “Somewhere in those high echelons of NUFC, they have decided, I am persona non grata. I am on a free but the honour of wearing those B+W stripes, surpasses that. “One day the board might realise, what the shirt signifies. HONOUR and PRIDE. Thanks for your continued support……….. #toonarmy” It was Barton’s posts on his Twitter account on Sunday that brought the situation to a head. He wrote: ”If only we as players could tell the fans exactly how it is, without them above fining us lots of money. There will be a time and a place.” Barton has been an outspoken critic of the Magpies’ regime ever since he joined Twitter in May and heavily criticised the club’s decision to allow former captain Kevin Nolan to join West Ham. The 28-year-old also made reference to a similar outburst from Jose Enrique, who used the social networking site to accuse the club of a lack of ambition after selling Nolan. ”If it wouldn’t effect (sic) team morale and cause unrest within the dressing room, am certain Jose’s comments would be the tip of the iceberg,” Barton wrote. ”And again it would be left to those magnificent fans to pick up the remnants of their once great football club. #hadenoughofcertainpeople” He then added: ”If I wanted to leave, I’d just come out and say ‘I want to leave’. Things need addressing as am not prepared to go through a relegation again.” Barton’s agent, Willie McKay, admits he is shocked by Newcastle’s stance that they are willing to let their prize asset leave for nothing. “I was obviously shocked to learn Newcastle are letting Joey go and even more shocked they are letting him go on a free transfer,” McKay told Sky Sports . “Joey is approaching the prime of his career and he has just come off his best season for the club and he was pivotal in the success of Andy Carroll after creating so many of his goals. “There will be no shortage of takers for Joey, especially now he is available for free and we will hopefully sort something out soon.” The Liverpudlian has become a fans’ favourite in the north east after initially suffering a troublesome start to his life on Tyneside. After joining for £5.8 million from Manchester City in June 2007 he served a 77-day prison sentence after being found guilty of assault following an incident in Liverpool, while he was also given a suspended four-month sentence for a training ground assault on then City team-mate Ousmane Dabo. He was suspended by Newcastle for being sent off in a game against Liverpool by then manager Alan Shearer but was welcomed back into the fold under Chris Hughton as the Magpies bounced back from relegation at the first time of asking. Credit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com

Henry demanding top-four finish

Liverpool owner John W Henry has warned Kenny Dalglish it would be a “major disappointment” if the club fail to secure Champions League football this season. Significant investment in new players has raised expectations at Liverpool, with Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing all arriving as big-money summer captures. That trio will be used to support the January arrivals of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll, brought in to replace Fernando Torres, and Henry now expects to see a return on his investment. “It’s too early for us to start talking about winning the league,” Henry told Dagbladet . “In my opinion Manchester United are the ones to beat. They have a good squad, and look really good. “Our main goal is to qualify for the Champions League. If we don’t it would be a major disappointment.” Dalglish’s side continue pre-season preparations against Valerenga, live on ESPN in the UK, on Monday. Credit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com

Routledge set for Swansea

Premier League newcomers Swansea have agreed personal terms with Newcastle winger Wayne Routledge. The Welsh club had already agreed an undisclosed fee with the Magpies and the 26-year-old will now undergo a medical tomorrow before signing a three-year contract. Swansea confirmed the news on their official website: ”Swansea City is pleased to confirm that personal terms with Newcastle winger Wayne Routledge have been agreed this afternoon.” Credit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com

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