BY MICHAEL KLINE
Fiorentina have confirmed in a statement that they have reached an agreement with Villarreal on a transfer for New Jersey-native Giuseppe Rossi.
Rossi has been out of action since an ACL tear in October of 2011. He returned to training in April of 2012, only to reinjure his right anterior cruciate ligament for the second time in six months.
The Italian international possesses a wide range of passes and strong technical skills. His versatility has made him a highly regarded player despite his unfortunate run of injuries.
The 25-year-old forward will complete his move to Fiorentina for an undisclosed fee, reportedly in the €10m region, following a contractual agreement between player and club.
Here are some more of Friday’s top stories to round out your day:
HOLTBY SET FOR SUMMER MOVE TO TOTTENHAM
Schalke’s midfield star Lewis Holtby is set for a move to Tottenham after the two clubs agreed on a summer move.
Holtby, whose father is English, captains the Germany Under-21 team and is considered one of the top midfield prospects in Europe. Several teams in England were after his services, but Holtby ultimately settled on Spurs.
Holtby’s transfer will be completed in July when he joins the London club.
FERGUSON IRATE OVER TOTTENHAM’S MOVE FOR FRYERS
Sir Alex Ferguson is demanding an investigation into Tottenham’s “manipulation” over the £3m signing of former Manchester United defender Zeki Fryers.
Fryers left Manchester United for Standard Liege at the end of last season for a small fee after speculation of a £6m move to Tottenham subsided. Fryers was on trial with Tottenham over the summer before the club decided not to meet his asking price.
Just months later, Tottenham have had a bid accepted by Standard Liege that is believed to be half the price Manchester United were demanding in the summer.
The 20-year-old left back made a handful of appearances for Standard Liege before managerial changes left him out of favor. He has been brought to Tottenham as cover for Benoit Assou-Ekotto.
CASILLAS BEST GOALKEEPER FOR FIFTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR
The International Federation of Football History and Statistics have named Spain’s captain as the best goalkeeper in the world for a fifth consecutive year.
Iker Casillas beat out fellow keepers Gianluigi Buffon and Petr Cech to capture the award for a record fifth time.
The award, which is voted on by journalists all over the world, has made José Mourinho’s decision to bench the legendary keeper look even more strange.
SNEIJDER CONSIDERING PREMIER LEAGUE MOVE
Speculation has increased regarding Wesley Sneijder’s future at Inter Milan.
The Dutch midfielder has not played for Inter Milan since September, and rumors of his refusal to take a pay cut continue to circulate.
The 28-year old had been linked with a move to Queens Park Rangers following remarks from QPR manager Harry Redknapp, but his agent has since denied such rumors.
Sneijder is still considered to be a top midfielder in Europe, yet his reported wages of near £200,000/week are deterring any possible suitors.
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What do you think of these develoments? See Rossi bouncing back and being a goal-scoring first again? Worried that Holtby’s arrival will spell trouble for Clint Dempsey?
Share your thoughts below.