■GERMANY
Bayern seal Robben deal
Bayern Munich signed Dutch winger Arjen Robben from Real Madrid yesterday in a bid to improve on their stuttering start to the season. The 25-year-old international signed a four-year contract after passing a medical earlier in the day, the Bundesliga club said. Bayern said Robben would train later on yesterday and would be available for today’s match at home to champions VfL Wolfsburg, when Bayern will attempt to chalk up their first win of the season. Under new coach Louis van Gaal, Bayern have taken only two points from their first three games in their worst start to a season for 43 years. Van Gaal said: “I’m delighted, because now I have another creative player. He’s an explosive player.”
■ENGLAND
Tevez gets off the mark
Argentine striker Carlos Tevez scored his first Manchester City goal on Thursday as the big-spending Premier League side defeated Crystal Palace 2-0 in the second round of the League Cup. Defender Joleon Lescott also made his City debut after his move from Everton. Shaun Wright-Phillips scored the opening goal on 50 minutes before Tevez struck 20 minutes later to seal City’s passage into the third round of the competition. City boss Mark Hughes backed Tevez, who scored 34 times for rivals Manchester United in two seasons, to keep adding to his tally. “That was important for him,” Hughes said. “I hoped he would get opportunities tonight and he was able to get off the mark. His energy and enthusiasm for the game shone through. The more he plays for us, the better he will become.”
■ENGLAND
Villa seek to boost defense
Aston Villa have agreed a fee with Manchester City for defender Richard Dunne and have signed Stephen Warnock from Blackburn Rovers. The 29-year-old City skipper and Ireland international Dunne was due to travel to Birmingham to discuss personal terms and undergo a medical, the club said. The recent signings of Joleon Lescott from Everton and Kolo Toure from Arsenal had cast doubt on Dunne’s future at Eastlands. Villa have also brought in left-back Warnock, 27, on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee from Blackburn.
■ENGLAND
Chimbonda joins Blackburn
Tottenham defender Pascal Chimbonda on Thursday signed a two-year deal with Premier League rivals Blackburn. “We’ve got an experienced player who is desperate to play football again, having missed it at Spurs,” said manager Sam Allardyce. The Rovers boss is confident Chimbonda’s experience and desire to play regularly will allow him to adapt quickly. “When you meet someone who tells you they just want to play football it is a good thing from the start. When you see what he has achieved in his Wigan and Tottenham early days we want him to come and emulate that at Blackburn, whichever position we pick him in.”
■ENGLAND
Distin heads to Goodison
Everton moved to plug the gap left by the sale of Joleon Lescott to Manchester City by signing defender Sylvain Distin from Portsmouth on Thursday. Frenchman Distin, 31, has agreed a three-year deal at Goodison Park subject to a medical. “All the formalities have been completed. After Sylvain made it clear his preferred destination was Goodison the chairman moved quickly to finalize the deal and Sylvain is now on his way to undergo a medical,” chief executive Robert Elstone said.
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