Almeria have snapped up Argentine defender Marco Torsiglieri from Metalist Kharkiv on a season-long loan deal.

The 25-year-old made 10 starts for his parent club last season as they went on to finish second in the Ukrainian Premier League behind Shakhtar Donetsk.

But he has now been farmed out to La Liga ahead of the 2013-14 campaign, with Almeria looking to cement their top-flight status following promotion from the Segunda Division.

Torsiglieri began his career with Velez Sarsfield in his native Argentina, before making his first move to Europe with Portuguese outfit Sporting.

A loan move to Metalist followed and that switch was made permanent in December 2011 when the centre-back signed a five-year deal.

Almeria have made eight signings in total in the c…

Cristiano Ronaldo said Portugal must be realistic as they are not among the World Cup favourites, though the Real Madrid superstar insisted nothing is impossible.

Euro 2016 champions Portugal will face Spain (June 15), Morocco (June 19) and Iran (June 25) in Group B at the World Cup in Russia.

Portugal defied the odds to be crowned European champions two years ago and captain Ronaldo – who is set to return to the starting XI for Thursday s friendly against Algeria having enjoyed some rest following last month s Champions League triumph – said Fernando Santos men will give their all at the showpiece tournament.

Led by Ronaldo as Portugal were sent off to the World Cup at a Lisbon reception held by president Marcelo Rebelo De Sousa Wednesday, the five-time Bal…

Spain produced a disappointing showing in their final World Cup preparation friendly, needing a late Iago Aspas strike to secure a 1-0 win over Tunisia on Saturday.

Julen Lopetegui s men go into the finals in Russia as one of the tournament favourites, yet they showed little evidence of their qualification form in Krasnodar, appearing toothless in attack before Aspas fierce 84th-minute effort.

Although Spain s knack for keeping the ball still seems in good health, they did not do a great deal with it in a particularly unimpressive first-half display.

Tunisia looked a far greater threat in the final third, but their finishing left a lot to be desired – Ferjani Sassi and Naim Sliti particularly culpable with bad misses.

Spain had a little more control in …

Putting in a real first-half romp at the Etihad, Manchester City breezed their way to a 3-1 romp against relegation scrappers Leicester on Saturday evening.

Needing just five minutes to open the scoring as John Stones produced a wonderful volley from the edge of the box, it was then City’s attacking talisman who stole all of the headlines.

With the record-breaking Erling Haaland bagging yet another Premier League brace after snatching a quick-fire double in the space of just 12 minutes, Pep Guardiola’s side certainly laid down a title marker as they moved within three points of Arsenal.

Opening their Champions League quarter-final adventure with a first-leg 3-0 victory against Bayern Munich earlier in the week, the defending champions have now won each of th…

In January, 1999, Nwankwo Kanu left Inter Milan to join Arsene Wenger s project at Arsenal. He went on to make 197 appearances for the club, scoring 44 goals and 23 assists in all competitions, before leaving for West Bromwich Albion as a free agent in 2004.

In those five years, the Nigerian helped Arsene Wenger s team win two Premier League titles, two FA Cups and the 2000 Community Shield.

They made me feel at home

Nwankwo Kanu talks on Arsène Wenger and the 1998/99 Arsenal squad

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL)

…

Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Steve Harper has called on owner Mike Ashley to invest in the team and engage with fans.

Harper spent 20 years at Newcastle as a player, only leaving in the close-season to join Premier League newcomers Hull City.

Few understand Newcastle United as well as him, and Harper – who has had first-hand experience of Ashley s reign – has urged him to reward the club s long-suffering supporters.

Newcastle last won a major trophy in 1969 and struggled last term, failing to build on their fifth-place finish in the 2011-12 season.

Ahead of his testimonial at St James Park, Harper told The Telegraph: The fans make the club tick, but they feel detached from it.

Whenever the club has done well over, the fans have been on board. They…

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has signed a new four-year deal with the club, extending his contract until 2017.

The 29-year-old had reportedly been upset at a lack of movement from the English Premier League champions over improved terms, with Toure s agent Dimitri Seluk setting a deadline two weeks ago for a new contract to be agreed.

The Ivory Coast international has now committed his future to the club he joined from Barcelona in 2010.

This is where I want to be, Toure told the club s official website.

When I first arrived at City every time I went to sleep I would dream about us winning something; now it is about us being the best team in whatever competition we take part in.

I will never forget how I have been treated here by the f…

Bruno Genesio has praised Mathieu Valbuena s strength of character after a tough 12 months off the pitch for the Lyon midfielder.

Valbuena was the subject of an alleged blackmail attempt over a sex tape in November 2015, a plot that saw his France team-mate Karim Benzema charged with complicity.

The 32-year-old was also subject to a string of recent posts from Twitter trolls claiming he had died, a claim quickly addressed by Lyon the club calling it a shameful and inhuman act .

Amid all that chaos, on the pitch Valbuena has continued to be a first-team regular for Lyon, and Genesio believes his behaviour sets him apart from many of his contemporaries.

Mathieu Valbuena has surprised me, Genesio told a media conference ahead of Lyon s Champions League clas…

Antonio Conte has once again cautioned his Chelsea players not to forget the ignominy of a 10th-place finish last season.

Conte oversaw three consecutive Premier League wins at the start of his tenure but a 2-2 draw at Swansea City, followed by back-to-back defeats against Liverpool and Arsenal leave the 2014-15 champions playing catch-up once more when they travel to Hull City on Saturday.

The former Juventus and Italy head coach warned his players they could finish in mid-table again unless they correct the errors from last weekend s sorry 3-0 collapse at Emirates Stadium.

Speaking ahead of the Hull match, he insisted past failings should spur his squad on.

It is never good when you lose two games, although it was against two great teams, he said.

…

Ajax have completed the signing of Southampton forward Dusan Tadic after agreeing an initial €11.4million deal with the Premier League side.

Tadic moved to England four years ago after making his name in the Eredivisie with Twente and has scored 23 goals for the Saints in 162 appearances in all competitions.

He found the back of the net six times in 2017-18 as Southampton narrowly avoided relegation, Mark Hughes masterminding the great escape after replacing Mauricio Pellegrino.

The 29-year-old has signed a four-year deal at the Johan Cruyff ArenA and immediately fills the void left by Justin Kluivert s departure to Roma.

YEAAAH!
HE S COMING SOON!

— AFC Ajax (English) (@AFCAjax_EN)

The arrival of Dusan Tadic means a considerable …