SPORTS UPDATE WITH EMMAH ATAI: Stoke City have announced the signing of defender Phil Bardsley on a three-year deal. The 28-year-old Scotland international will join the Potters on July 1 following the expiration of his contract at Sunderland, where he has spent the last six-and-a-half years. Sunderland had hoped to extend Bardsleys stay on Wearside after re-opening contract talks after initial discussions came to nothing, but must now admit defeat. Meanwhile, French striker Loic Remy has held talks with Liverpool and Arsenal over a summer move. Former Marseille man Remy is contracted to Queens Park Rangers until 2017 but spent last season on loan at Newcastle, with the 27-year-old impressing during a Premier League campaign of mixed fortunes for the Magpies. Arsenal are also chasing Real Sociedads £18million-rated forward Antoine Griezmann - while a return for former skipper Cesc Fabregas is also being considered. Wayne Rooney still hopes to be named Manchester United captain, despite reports suggesting fellow striker Robin van Persie , who captains the Netherlands team coached by Van Gaal, will get the armband. With defender Nemanja Vidic having left the club, new boss Louis van Gaal must appoint a skipper when he takes over after the World Cup. Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa is back in training after undergoing horse-placenta treatment on a hamstring tear as he bids to be ready for Saturday’s Champions League final against Real Madrid. Costa, 25, suffered the injury during his side’s Spanish league title-winning draw with Barcelona last weekend but both he and midfielder Arda Turan - who has also overcome a knock to train – will fly to Lisbon for the final. Norwich caretaker boss Neil Adams has been handed the job on a full-time basis, signing a three-year-deal. WORLD CUP: Germany midfielder Lars Bender has been ruled out of next month’s World Cup in Brazil with a thigh injury in another blow to coach Joachim Löw’s plans. Bender is the latest German to suffer injury with captain Philipp Lahm and first choice keeper Manuel Neuer out for days and still to arrive in Italy because of knocks. Fellow Bayern Munich team mate Bastian Schweinsteiger is also yet to begin training with the team as he works on his fitness following a knee inflammation, while Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira is also just back from a cruciate ligament tear last year. Top striker Miroslav Klose is racing to get fit in time of the tournament after an injury-plagued season at Italy’s Lazio and has also yet to train with the team. Several other players, including regulars Mario Gomez and Ilkay Gundogan did not even make the provisional squad after failing to return to full fitness from long injury absences this season. The three-time World Cup winners have been drawn in Group G along with Portugal, United States and Ghana. Newcastle defender Paul Dummett has received online death threats from Uruguay fans who blame him for the knee injury sustained by Luis Suarez. Liverpools Suarez, 27, had surgery, but is hopeful of being fit for next months World Cup.
Posted on: Fri, 23 May 2014 10:26:12 +0000
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