Premier League giants Manchester City FC have officially announced that they have loaned out Ecuadorian forward Felipe Caicedo to Levante till the end of the 10/11 season. Levante recently earned promoted from the Spanish second division to La Liga.

Caicedo started his career with Rocafuerte in his native Ecuador before joining Swiss side Basel in 2005. He was a transfer target for many top European clubs but eventually joined City in 2008 for a reported €7m fee.

This is Caicedo’s third loan spell and second one in Spain. He has previously had stints with Portuguese outfit Sporting CP and Andalusian club Malaga CF.

[Source:- Manchester City]

Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk have completed the signing of Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan from domestic rivals Metalurh Donetsk. Shakhtar have reportedly paid $7.5m for the services of Mkhitaryan, who has signed a four year contract with them.

Mkhitaryan started his career with FC Pyunik in his native Armenia. Consistent performances in the Armenian Premier League earned him a move to Metalurh Donetsk last year. In July this year, he became Metalurh Donetsk’s youngest ever captain.

Mkhitaryan will wear the No.22 shirt for Shakhtar.

He has represented Armenia at U-17, U-19 and U-21 levels and has also played for the national team.

Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins has left German outfit VfL Wolfsburg to join reigning Russian champions Rubin Kazan. Martins’ departure comes just one season after he had sealed a switch to Wolfsburg from Newcastle United.

The fee is rumoured to be somewhere near the eight million euro mark, significantly less than the nine million pounds Wolfsburg shelled out for Martins last summer. Martins has signed a three year contract with Rubin, who have won the last two seasons of the Russian Premier League.

Martins only made sixteen appearances for Wolfsburg last season and netted five times for the Wolves. He was also part of Nigeria’s 2010 World Cup squad that bowed out of the competition at the group stage.

[Source:- VFL Wolfsburg]

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is interested with the prospects of reuniting with Brazil midfielder Kaka. The Italian tactician has confirmed that he is in regular contact with the Real Madrid star.

Ancelotti has expressed his interest in Kaka’s skills, claiming that the Brazilian would help the coach’s cause at Stamford Bridge. Ancelotti would love to tempt the midfielder to the Premier League champions.

Ancelotti worked with Kaka at Milan with the Brazilian’s future still in the dark following the arrival of former Blues’ manager Jose Mourinho as Real Madrid manager.

The Italian told The People: “Kaka would do well for my cause and I speak to him on a regular basis. It would be a multi-million pound operation.”

Ajax striker Luis Suarez has admitted he would be keen on a move to the Premier League this summer.

Manchester United and Tottenham are among the clubs the 23-year-old Uruguayan star would be interested in joining.

“I am not going to make any secret of my admiration for the Premier League,” he told the Daily Star on Sunday.

“What I love about it is the fact that there are five or six Champions League quality teams in the league – and no other league in the world boasts that.

“When you look at the players Manchester City and Liverpool have like Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano, David Silva, Yaya Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor and see they are playing Uefa Cup and not Champions League football, it tells you everything you need to know about the strength of the league.

“I know I have had a very good World Cup and with that naturally comes interest from other clubs.

“If a Premier League side comes in for me it will be very difficult for Ajax to keep me and I think they are fully aware of that.”

“Manchester United are a great side and, along with Real Madrid are the most prestigious club in the world,” Suarez added.

“You know if you join Manchester United and are there for any length of time you will win things.

“Tottenham hold appeal as well though, they are a team with great ambition and have done well to reach the Champions League.

“I like team that have shown ambition through the money they spend.

“If there are multiple offers form the Premier League I will take time to decide – but at the moment they are the two clubs that stand out for me.”

[Source: The Daily Star on Sunday]

Arsenal forward Eduardo is set to leave the club after being told by Arsene Wenger that he is not part of first-team plans for next season. The 27-year-old Croatia international has failed to make a great impact at the Emirates after the horror tackle which broke his leg in 2008.

New signing Marouane Chamakh will be partnering Robin van Persie up front next season while Eduardo will be given the chance to revive his career next season according to the Mail.

And Eduardo is believed to favor a move away from the physically-demanding Premier League as top European clubs queue for his signature.

Reigning Russian champions Rubin Kazan have completed the signing of Moldovan striker Alexandru Antoniuc from FC Zimbru Chişinău. The 21 year old has signed a four year contract with Rubin and joins compatriot Ilie Cebanu at the Tsentralnyi Stadion.

Rubin have won the Russian Premier League for the last two seasons and will begin their quest for a hat trick of titles next month against PFC Krylya Sovetov Samara.

Rubin gave a good account of themselves in last season’s Champions League. They were in a tough group that also included eventual champions Inter Milan, semifinalists Barcelona and Ukrainian powerhouse Dynamo Kyiv.

Portsmouth’s Algerian full-back Nadir Belhadj has attracted strong interest from Lazio, according to the player’s agent.

The 27-year-old left-sided player is set for Pompey exit this summer after the troubled club’s relegation from the Premier League last season.

Pompey are currently in administration and in the midst of a financial crisis, and are expected to sell a number of their prized assets.

Lazio will be competing in Serie A next term, and Belhadj’s agent Marko Pomarin says they are keen to snap up the Algerian.

“I confirm the interest of Lazio in the player, we are seeking an agreement with the club,” he told calcionews24.com.

“Competition is high but I’m sure that Lazio will not miss a player good like Belhadj.”

Belhadj is currently competing with Algeria in the World Cup and the Desert Foxes take on England on Friday night.

Lazio finished the Italian top-flight in 12th last term and the Biancocelesti will be hoping for a top-half berth next season.

Sunderland today completed the signing of Belgium U-21 international goalkeeper Simon Mignolet from Sint Truidense for an undisclosed fee. (more…)

Chelsea are set to sign Yossi Benayoun from Liverpool.

The Daily Mail reports that the Premier League champions have offered £6.5million for the Israeli international.
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