Serbia’s rising star Jojic joins Dortmund
Last season’s Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund on Friday signed promising Serbia attacking midfielder Milos Jojic from Partizan Belgrade until June 2018.
The 21-year-old scored on his debut for Serbia in their 2-0 win over Japan last October and has scored six goals, creating a further seven, in 15 league games for Partizan this season.
“We are delighted to have signed Milos Jojic, a versatile midfield player with enormous potential, who completes our squad,” said Dortmund’s sporting director Michael Zorc.
No details of the transfer fee were released, but German daily Bild and football magazine Kicker report Jojic cost around 2.2 million euros ($3m).
Although Jojic has played for Belgrade in the Champions League this season, he will be eligible to play for Dortmund in their last 16 clash against Zenit St Petersburg next month.
Sunderland sign Scotland’s Bridcutt, Diakite leaves
Scotland midfielder Liam Bridcutt has joined Sunderland from second-tier Brighton and Hove Albion, the English Premier League club announced on Friday.
Bridcutt, 24, has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract and joins for an undisclosed fee, which British media reports suggested was in the region of ÂŁ2.5 million ($4.1 million, three million euros).
“Brighton midfielder Liam Bridcutt has become Sunderland’s fifth signing of the January transfer window,” read a statement on the Sunderland website.
Bridcutt follows Spaniard Marcos Alonso and Argentinians Oscar Ustari, Santiago Vergini and Ignacio Scocco in joining Sunderland this month.
Meanwhile, 26-year-old defender Modibo Diakite, who joined from Lazio last summer, has returned to Italy, signing for Fiorentina on loan until the end of the season.
Wales goalkeeper Hennessey joins Palace
Wales international goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey has joined Crystal Palace from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a three-and-a-half-year contract.
The 27-year-old, a former academy player at Manchester City, reportedly cost Palace around ÂŁ3 million ($4.9 million, 3.7 million euros).
“I have met some of the lads and the staff already, so I am just looking forward to getting out onto the training pitch now,” Hennessey told the Palace website.
Palace also announced that attacking midfielder Jason Puncheon’s loan move from Southampton has been turned into a permanent transfer.
“It is great to sign a permanent deal,” said Puncheon, who hails from nearby Croydon. “It’s something I dreamt about when I was a kid, so I’m pleased to get it done.”
Argentine defender Insaurralde loaned to PAOK
Argentine defender Juan Manuel Insaurralde has joined PAOK on a six-month loan deal from Spartak Moscow, the Greek Super League team announced on Friday.
Insaurralde, 29, joined Spartak Moscow last season and played in 18 matches scoring one goal.
He has also played for Boca Juniors, Newell’s Old Boys and Chacarita Juniors and has twice been called up by Argentina.
Nantes sign Israeli striker on loan
Nantes have agreed a loan deal with Hapoel Tel Aviv for their Israeli striker Itay Shechter until the end of the season. The 26-year-old has already had spells overseas, with Kaiserslautern in Germany and Swansea last season in the English Premier League.
Dynamo Kiev loan Tremoulinas to St Etienne
Benoit Tremoulinas, the France international defender, has been loaned out by Dynamo Kiev to French Ligue I outfit St Etienne. A French league title winner in 2009 with Bordeaux he returns to his home country after just six months with the Ukraine side.
Chelsea’s Kakuta loaned out again
Chelsea have announced that French winger Gael Kakuta has joined Italian club Lazio on loan until the end of the season.
Kakuta, who spent the past season and a half on loan at Vitesse Arnhem, moved to Chelsea from Lens in 2007 and has made 16 appearances for the Premier League team.
He embarks on a fifth loan spell away from Stamford Bridge having previously spent time at Fulham and Bolton in the Premier League, and with Dijon in France, before his time with Vitesse.
