(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Austrian international central defender Kevin Wimmer signed for Stoke City from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur yesterday for £18mn. The 24-year-old — who represents a good piece of business for Spurs having joined them in 2015 for £4.3mn from German side Cologne — has signed a five-year contract with Stoke.
Wimmer had found cementing a regular first team place impossible with Belgian duo Toby Alderweireid and Jan Vertonghen holding sway there. The arrival of young Colombian Davinson Sanchez from Ajax earlier this month for a club record fee of £42mn saw the eight-times capped Wimmer's chances of a breakthrough diminish further.
Wimmer is Hughes's seventh signing since the end of last season — in which Stoke finished 13th — with the Austrian his third defensive reinforcement. He has brought in Chelsea's French international defender Kurt Zouma on loan and bought Dutchman Bruno Martins Indi from Portuguese outfit Porto after he impressed during a loan spell last term.
Lyon sign Pape Diopfrom Celta Vigo
Celta Vigo midfielder Pape Diop has signed a five-year contract with Lyon, the French Ligue 1 side announced. The 19-year-old moves to France in a deal reported to be worth 10mn euros with 4mn euros in add-ons.
He is the seventh new recruit at Lyon who have had to strengthen their squad after losing Alexandre Lacazette, Corentin Tolisso and captain Maxime Gonalons over the summer. Diop came under Lyon's radar when he helped Spain lift the 2015 Under-19 European championship title, the club's recruitment officer Florien Maurice revealed.
Lyon are unbeaten after four outings of the new season to lie fourth in the table, four points shy of joint leaders Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco.
Roma capture Czech star Schick from Sampdoria
Roma have signed highly-rated Czech forward Patrik Schick, 21, from Serie A rivals Sampdoria, the Italian outfit announced. Schick has agreed a five-year deal until 2022 in what Roma called a 'record deal that could eventually be worth 42mn euros, plus a significant sell-on fee to Sampdoria.
Schick had appeared set to join Juventus earlier this summer before the Turin club pulled out of the deal due to doubts raised in a medical.
Goalkeeper Pickfordout of England squad
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has withdrawn from England's squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovakia due to injury, the Football Association said yesterday.
The uncapped 23-year-old, who joined Everton in a £30mn deal from Sunderland, has returned to his club for treatment on a muscular injury. England manager Gareth Southgate has three other goalkeepers at his disposal in Joe Hart, Jack Butland and Tom Heaton, so has not drafted in a replacement. England, who top their World Cup qualifying group, play Malta in Ta'Qali on Friday before hosting Slovakia at Wembley on Monday.
Newcastle's Mitrovic hit with violent conduct charge
Newcastle United striker Aleksandar Mitrovic was charged with violent conduct yesterday following his clash with West Ham United's Manuel Lanzini. Mitrovic appeared to catch Lanzini with an elbow during Newcastle's 3-0 win over the Hammers on Saturday. The Serbia international has until 1700 GMT today to respond to the Football Association charge.
Chelsea sign Hazard'syounger brother
Chelsea signed Eden Hazard's younger brother Kylian from Hungarian club Ujpest. Kylian will start his time with Chelsea as part of their development squad and the midfielder could make his debut in the understudies' fixture against Sunderland on September 9.
The 22-year-old began his professional career in his native Belgium, where he played for White Star Brussels and Zulte-Waregem. He moved to Hungary in 2015 and made 42 appearances for Ujpest. Kylian is the third Hazard brother to join Chelsea after Thorgan spent 2012 to 2015 at Stamford Bridge, although he was loaned out for much of that time.
Eden has yet to play for the Premier League champions this season after suffering an ankle injury at the end of last term, but he has joined up with Belgium this week for their World Cup qualifiers.
CAS confirms Bolivia'sineligible player sanction
Bolivia will have to forfeit two 2018 World Cup qualifiers for fielding an ineligible player after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected their appeal yesterday. The decision by CAS in Lausanne means the country can no longer qualify for next year's World Cup finals in Russia.
Bolivia played defender Nelson Cabrera for the qualifiers against Chile and Peru last year, but despite having gained Bolivian nationality, FIFA found him to be ineligible after playing a friendly in 2007 for Paraguay, his country of birth. Both matches will go down as 3-0 losses for Bolivia, after they had originally beaten Peru 2-0 and held Copa America champions Chile to a 0-0 draw. South American qualifying sees the top four teams in the 10-strong table book their World Cup places automatically.
The failure of Bolivia's appeal has large ramifications above them in the table, as Chile's extra two points move them into the fourth and final automatic spot, one point above 2014 World Cup runners-up Argentina.
Whoever finishes fifth will face a play-off against the winner of the Oceania final in September between New Zealand and the Solomon Islands. 'I would have preferred a different decision from CAS, now we have to do more to qualify for the World Cup, said Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli. 'It has been decided to give the points to Chile, and we have to accept it.
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