World Soccer - UK (2020-11)

Appointments, sackings and loans

Premier League sides Tottenham and Liverpool announced two of the league’s

biggest arrivals of the year within hours of each other, with Spurs re-signing

Gareth Bale on loan from Real Madrid and the Reds recruiting Bayern

Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara for £25 million.

Welshman Bale, who left North London in 2013 for a then world-record

transfer fee of £85.3 million, won four Champions League titles with Madrid,

while Thiago won the crown with Bayern back in August.

“After my first training session at Manchester

United, I got home and asked my agent if I could

tear up the contract and go back to Arsenal”

Alexis Sanchez, speaking after leaving Manchester United for Internazionale permanently

Major Premier League moves

EUROPE

GARETH BARRY,thePremier

League appearances record holder

with 653 games, retired from football.

Parma sacked head coachROBERT

D’AVERSA, who guided the club from

Italy’s third tier to Serie A.

SOUTH AMERICA

DIEGO FORLAN,aformerPenarol

player, was sacked after just11 games in

charge of the Montevideo-based club.

AFRICA

JEAN-BAPTISTE MUGIRANEZA

called time on his Rwanda career after

a14-year spell that saw him rack up

68 appearances and seven goals.

ASIA

Japan’s Asian Cup-winning defender

ATSUTO UCHIDAand former Wigan

Athletic and Oman goalkeeperALI

AL HABSIannounced their retirement.

CSL club Tianjin TEDA replaced coach

Uli Stielike withWANG BAOSHAN.

TONY POPOVICactivated a clause

to quit as PerthGlory coach in pursuit

of European managerial opportunities.

PSG, Southampton and Torino
respectively. Meanwhile,DANI
CEBALLOSreturned for a
second season at Arsenal.

There was also a flurry of free
transfers withRYAN FRASERjoining
Newcastle United,MALANG SARRto
Chelsea,CLAUDIO BRAVOto Real
Betis andYUTO NAGATOMOto
Marseille, whileOLIVER BURKEand
CALLUM ROBINSONswapped clubs
to join Sheffield United and West
Bromwich Albion respectively.

ASIA

PATRICK KISNORBOwas named as
the new head coach of Melbourne City,
while Melbourne Victory appointed
GRANT BREBNER.

Australia midfielderAARON MOOY
lefts Brighton and Hove Albion to sign
for Chinese Super League side
Shanghai SIPG.

Iranian football saw a raft of

managerial changes. Persian Gulf

Pro League clubs Shahr Khodro

appointed former Iran goalkeeper

MEHDI RAHMATI, Esteghlal opted for

MAJID NAMJOO-MOTLAGHas interim

boss, and Sepahan appointed former

playerMOHARRAM NAVIDKIA.

GLOBAL FOOTBALL INTELLIGENCE

Transfer

window

headliners...

Bale and

Thiago

Sacked...Diego Forlan

Chinese Super League new boy...Aaron Mooy

Premier League

legend...Barry

Xanthi-bound...

Tony Popovic